Chaos
by Lift the Wings
Summary: The world has gone to hell in a hand basket and it's down to 'us' and 'them'. Of course, 'us' isn't always comforting either, not when chaos twists people into monsters themselves. Though, I happen to like the group that saved me. Especially Daryl... OC
1. Prologue

So, first off, this will be updated very irregularly. But I love the series and I love the stories I've been reading on here and I wanted write a little something. Hopefully you'll all enjoy it and let me know what you think. So, without further ado (I do not own _the Walking Dead,_ nor am I planning on it at any particular point in time), here we go!

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"_**Chaos results when the world changes faster than the people."**_

Prologue

The sky was deceptively afternoon, the bugs and birds still flittering around like normal, the cicadas calling from their perches somewhere deep in the forest nearby. The wind gently whipped the treetops back and forth, the leaves rustling in a soothing rhythm. The clouds were white and fluffy, perfect cotton balls in the endless, blue sky.

And here I was, curled on my side on the hard, hot pavement, trying to staunch the bleeding in my bullet-riddled leg. It didn't matter now if I made a noise or not; the gunshots my foe and I had traded did more than enough to draw the walkers' attention Not to mention, the two of us were now giving off the tangy, metallic scent of their favorite thing.

"Bitch! You shot me, you dirty bitch!" he growled, covered head to toe in grime, his matted, once blond hair plastered to his face. His chocolate eyes were wild with hate and pain, his trembling hands cupping the mess I had made of his manhood.

I was an excellent shot.

The walkers were closing in from every direction; slow as they were, I didn't know if I could outrun them with a bullet hole to my calf. There was always a time to try, right?

The cookie cutter houses around us seemed to have walkers simply piling out of them. My head snapped to and fro, trying to decide in what direction I should flee to. There wasn't really an ideal option, but I needed to find some way out. Anywhere. I was _not_ leaving those kids to die in that van…

Said van was behind the walkers now and, unless I wanted to run straight at them, I had to lure them away. If I could just lead them away and double back, then we'd be alright.

Thankfully, though, I didn't have to make much of a choice; an enormous RV was rumbling down the road, followed by a few other cars. Praying that they didn't just continue on their way in hopes of avoiding the horrifying throng of creatures, I took aim and shot one down.

Walkers couldn't use guns.

My firing did the trick; the large, roofless Jeep behind the RV came to an abrupt halt and a man, dark-haired and olive-skinned, hopped out of the driver's seat. Taking aim at a few of the walkers, he took them out easily enough.

A few more men began spilling out of the vehicles, including an older, white-haired fellow wearing a Hawaiian shirt and a freakin' _bucket hat_ wielding a shotgun.

Ignoring my leg and the man bleeding out a few feet from me, I pointed my Smith and Wesson pistol at anything an ungodly shade of gray covered in blood and took them out one by one. The sound was attracting more of them, but there really wasn't anything any of us could do about it, unless one of them had something quieter.

If I could only reach the van, I'd go for my crossbow; I had searched high and low for that thing in all of the sports stores around town just a few days after all of this had started. It wasn't hard to figure out that the walkers were attracted to anything loud and obnoxious. Like the man still cradling his family jewels and cursing my very existence.

The hoard was closing in around him, moaning and shuffling like always, and, even though we had just been fighting each other, I shot two walkers who were near enough to grab him.

He didn't seem to notice, though, and grabbed for his shotgun, an ugly sneer plastered on his dirty face, "I'ma show you, whore…" One handed, he fired in my direction, though, fortunately enough for me, he was too blinded by his pain to actually hit me.

The men from the RV were steadily making progress toward the van and toward myself as the walkers dropped to the ground from their bullets. Momentarily distracted as I was by their approach, I turned just in time to see several walkers fly into my furious opponent. He screamed ferociously, turning his shotgun, finally, onto them, but it was a little too late.

Once they had ripped into him, there was no chance for survival. The walkers coming for me made a mad dash for the feast their comrades had ripped into and I was able to pick off a few that wanted to stick around and snack on my wounded self.

The man from the Jeep crossed the distance between us and dropped to his knees beside me. His oval face was covered in sweat, his nearly black eyes assessing my injury. Breathing heavily, he bit out, "They get you?"

"No, he shot me," I jerked my thumb back toward the disgusting feeding frenzy and the man gave a short nod before gathering me up into his arms. He ran back to the RV, trying no to jostle me around too much, but it was no use; biting my lip, I tried to swallow my cries of pain.

"Anything in that van o' yours?" he queried, reaching the van and shifting me into the arms of an enormous, bald man. The few men around us, including the older one, one that looked like someone straight out of the backwoods, and a thin, young Asian kid, were breathing heavily, guns still trained on the clump of walkers that fought over the bits and pieces of that man.

"Five kids and some supplies," I all but snarled, drawing blood from my lower lip as I tried to block out the pain now spiking through my leg, "you leave them an' I swear…"

"Daryl, take my Jeep; I'll get the van," the one who had carried me over barked at the hillbilly, who nodded shortly, taking one last shot at the filthy, mindless hoard before dashing off toward the Jeep. The leader, so I assumed him to be, turned to the man holding me and stated, "Get her inside; we gotta get out of here…"

In a blur, I suddenly found myself in the back of the RV, under the care of a thin, pretty black woman, who patted my arm gingerly, "You're going to be alright, honey."

The last thing I was aware of was screams and cries asking if I had been bitten, and the fact that I wasn't with my kids. As I was being held down, a sharp, pointed object was jabbed into my open wound. Heads were gonna roll when I woke up.


	2. Waking

Disclaimer: I don't own _the Walking Dead_

Chapter One: Waking

_The last thing I was aware of was screams and cries asking if I had been bitten, and the fact that I wasn't with my kids. As I was being held down, a sharp, pointed object was jabbed into my open wound. Heads were gonna roll when I woke up. _

Whatever I was laying on gave an enormous jolt, shocking me back to consciousness. Though I wasn't quite ready to open my eyes yet, I was more than aware of the dull throbbing in my leg.

"Jeez, Dale, couldja watch what you're doing?" a woman's voice snapped, exasperated, sounding surprisingly close, "she doesn't need to be jostled around anymore… her leg's gonna be bad for a while."

_Great_, I thought to myself, wincing as we hit another bump in the road, the RV and all of its contents bouncing and shuddering in response, including myself. Over the roar of the engine, I heard a weary, wise voice reply, "Well, sorry, Lori, but they're all over the place. I can't just swerve out of the way; there's too many of them. Not to mention, Daryl seems to be going out of his way _to_ hit them."

"Shane's probably thrilled," Lori commented dryly, pressing a wet cloth to my forehead, "he loves that Jeep more than anythin'..." There was rustling and suddenly the side of the my mattress heaved up under someone's weight, "Carl, make sure you don' hit her… she's in a lotta pain right now."

"Sorry, Mom," the young boy replied sheepishly, quickly scooting away from me, "so she's not bad, right? She's not gonna be like those things outside?" His voice quivered with fear, reminding me of Jake… though, that was because his father had been one of them, a walker, and was stumbling toward us, blood pouring from his mouth…

Lori quickly shushed her son while another voice cut in, "Don't worry; we wouldn't have taken her inside if she was. She just got shot, nothin' to worry about…"

I wanted to roll my eyes, but refrained; wouldn't be the best of ideas to be rude to my hosts, right? Slowly, I opened my eyes, blinking away the sudden brightness of the sweltering Atlanta afternoon, and eyed my companions. There was the African American woman from earlier, along with a tall woman with long, chestnut hair, and a thin, young boy, probably around seven or so. Taking in my surroundings, I noticed a few others in the RV: two blondes and that man in the bucket hat behind the wheel. Everyone but him watched me cautiously.

The boy, Carl, quickly jumped to his feet, stepping back as I turned my eyes on him. I probably looked awful, not much better than the walkers outside. Speaking of, we must have run over another as the old man cursed, "Daryl! He swerved out to hit that one…"

"Just make sure you wash off the front of his Jeep, then," I replied, my voice croaking slightly. The dark-skinned woman quickly darted to my side, offering me what appeared to be a canteen full of water.

"Here, honey, drink this," she smiled warmly, giving me a hand. Oh, this lady had to be a nurse or something… she was too helpful not to be. I obliged, though, more than happy to drink something after being out for who knows how long. "My name's Jacqui; this is Lori, Carl, and over there we've got Andrea and Amy, and Dale's driving…"

"How are you feeling, dear?" the old man questioned, casting me a quick glance over his shoulder and offering a friendly wave. He quickly returned his eyes to the road, hoping Daryl, who, if I remembered correctly was the hillbilly-lookin' guy from earlier, wouldn't be purposely taking out any stray walkers again.

"Like I got shot in the leg," I replied, pushing myself into a sitting position. Carl seemed to relax a little, probably because I had actually spoken. Walkers can't talk either.

He took a step closer, eyeing my heavily bandaged leg with great interest, "Does it hurt?" I was about to let out a very sarcastic, 'yes, yes it _does_ hurt', before he continued, eyes welling up with tears, "My dad got shot… He's…"

Lori pulled him into a hug, suppressing tears of her own as she cooed and shushed her now sniffling child, "It's alright, Carl, it's okay…"

Foot in my mouth, I could only awkwardly pat the boy's head, hoping that his father had died before the whole zombie apocalypse thing. I knew how it felt to see a family member come charging at you, wanting nothing more than to rip into you. That was the hardest kill I had had to do; my hands trembled just thinking about it.

"What's your name?" the younger of the two blondes queried curiously, standing and stepping away from the other one, who watched on carefully, as though at any second I might jump to my feet and start shooting.

It was only then that I realized, patting around me in panic, that I didn't have my S&W on me. Turning my wild eyes onto Jacqui, I instantly relaxed when she picked it up from the floor beside her, though she kept it out of reach. Though I could understand why, I certainly didn't have to like it.

"Where are the kids? If you left 'em behind, I will kill y'all with my bare hands," I vowed, venom lacing my words. Honestly, I had never been this vicious, especially when dealing with people who helped me out, but the world had changed and I was all those kids had.

"Shane's drivin' the van; everyone's still in it," Lori replied, pushing Carl back but looking down at me with a knowing glint in her eyes. As a protective mother, I knew she would understand what it meant to me to keep those kids safe.

"Dale to Shane," the older man commented suddenly, and, peering past Jacqui and Lori, I saw him holding a walkie-talkie in his hand, "Dale to Shane." The man who first approached me responded and Dale continued, "She's awake; wants to know how the kids are doing."

"_They're fine_," Shane replied, before Jake's concerned voice, cracking and breaking with emotion, queried, "_Cat? Cat are you okay?_" He sounded unharmed, and I let out an enormous, shaky breath, relieved to find him well.

Pushing myself to my feet, despite Jacqui's protests, I hobbled up to the front of the RV, using the counters and walls to keep myself upright. Throwing myself into the seat beside Dale, I wordlessly accepted the walkie and inquired, "Jake, how are you? How are the others?"

"_Cat, we've been real worried,_" he replied, ever the honest twelve year old, "_but Shane said you'd be alright… don't worry about him, he's real nice…_" Obviously, he was all too in tune with my paranoia about strangers in this new world, "_Hey, Shane wants me to tell you guys that we're stoppin' here for a little…_"

"Um, okay; I'll see you guys in a bit, alright?" I inquired, quirking a brow at Dale, who simply nodded and began to pull his RV to the side of the road. There was no response and I offered the walkie back to Dale with a small smile, "Thanks for that."

"Not a problem, Miss…?" he replied, giving me a curious glance, dark brow furrowing upward as he frowned, "sorry, Cat, was it?"

"Cathy Dalton," I answered, shrugging and laughing slightly, sheepishly, "Never did like that name…"

"It's a pleasure all the same," Dale replied, smiling encouragingly, shaking my hand like the world _hadn't_ ended and we were just good acquaintances, "now, let's stretch our legs, shall we?"

Giving him an unamused look as he chuckled, I couldn't help but be anxious to check in on my van. I had gone through a lot to keep that, and its occupants, intact and a few bullets to the leg wouldn't keep me cooped up in the RV.

As the passengers began disembarking, I shoved my own door open. Surprisingly, there was already someone there waiting to help me out; the huge guy from before. He gave me a reassuring grin, before grasping my waist and pulling me out of the bulky vehicle. People started crowding around, hoping to get a good look at their newest companions.

Shane opened one of the van's back doors and the faces I desperately wanted to see came piling out, all smiles at seeing me alive and well. Jake hopped down last, sending me a wave and a cheery smile, before they all began running my way.

"Careful, now, she's hurt, remember?" Shane chided, a slight grin on his face as he trailed behind them.

Minding my leg, I gathered each one up in a tight hug. Danny, tall and lanky, was the oldest of the five, though to me, he was still a kid. At seventeen, he had a thick, shaggy mop of chocolate hair and bright, hazel eyes. I had found him when first powering through a Walmart, dragging Jake along behind me in search of anything I could use to combat the ungodly hoards forming outside. Having worked there, he pointed out the best things for me to grab and never left our side. Then there was the dynamic duo, Riley and Tory, two besties who flagged us down, desperate to escape what had to be the biggest walker I had ever seen. Mike was Jake's best friend; when I picked up the latter, the former was nearly in tears that his family hadn't come for him yet. When we stopped by his house, we found out why. And then there was Jake, my younger brother. He was the spitting image of our father, with blondish-red hair, a splatter of freckles across his face, and wide, emerald eyes. Though, I couldn't say Dad had looked like that the last time I saw him…

"Good to see you're alright, Kitkat," Danny stated, ruffling my short, choppy auburn hair, seeing as he was a good foot taller than me, "we were worried there for a while…"

"As if you'd get yourself killed," Riley rolled her dark eyes, shoving Danny playfully, "it'd take a lot to kill you, Cat…"

The group huddled around me as we turned to face the others. Our rescuers. Hopefully I wouldn't be regretting not having my S&W out here… I'd only shot one living person before, but he had been by himself. Nothing like the dozens of people surrounding us now.

"Good to see you up, Ma'am," Shane offered me a hand, one I was rather hesitant to take, "name's Shane Walsh, Sheriff's Deputy…" Someone in the crowd scoffed and the deputy before me shot a glare behind him, "well, used t' be, anyway…"

"Cat Dalton," I answered, catching Jake's hand in my own, trying to smooth out my hardening features as I eyed the company - the one who had scoffed at Shane's title was a tall, lean man, dressed in a dark vest with the sleeves ripped off, his head nearly bald, and a sneer plastered across his face. He stood near the back, beside Daryl, who I quickly picked up were siblings, just like the girls in the RV. I really didn't like how the guy was eyeing me and my girls, but kept quiet; he didn't look like the type who would give a shit what I had to say.

Shane nodded and turned to everyone else, "People, this is Cat and her family," I didn't correct him, "Danny, Riley, Tory, Jake, and Mike; from now on they're gonna be travelin' with us…"

There was a murmur from the group and the badass-looking hillbilly just groaned, rolling his eyes and turning back to his truck. Daryl looked between his brother and my group, before shrugging indifferently. Nearly everyone else, though, approached with smiles, shaking hands and offering names.

"We're gonna take a break for five minutes, then we'll be headin' up into the mountains like we talked about," Shane stated, voice holding all of the authority of a Sheriff's Deputy and then some.

When everyone began splitting, he and a few of the guys approached my group. Placing myself between them and the kids, I inquired, "Can I help you gentlemen?"

"Just got a few questions, Cat," Shane replied, holding up his hands and grinning, appeasing, before glancing back to the kids, "why don't you guys give us a minute, 'kay?"

None of them moved and, as I studied Shane carefully, I turned partially and stated, "We're okay… just stay where I can see you, got it?" Almost immediately, they moved, tentatively approaching the others around their ages, who all welcomed them without delay.

"So, Cat, where you from?" T-Dog inquired, smiling slightly in hopes of easing my concern. It didn't really work.

"Up north," I answered, folding my arms across my chest, carefully balancing most of my weight on my good leg, "Pennsylvania. Came down here at the beginning of the month with my family, on vacation…"

T-Dog and Dale shared a frown; some vacation it turned out to be, I know.

"I hafta ask," Shane rested his fists on his hips, muscles tensed as he eyed me closely, "why were you an' that man shootin' at each other?"

Clicking my tongue, I sighed, lips pursed, "He wanted my van an' everything inside. In case you didn't check, there's a good bunch of supplies in the trunk and the back seat." If he didn't know, his expression never changed. "And he wanted me…"

"Can see why…" I knew he was going to be a dick the minute I saw him. Daryl's brother was approaching, giving me a thorough once over with a lecherous smirk, "Purdy little thing, aren't'cha?"

Daryl wasn't far behind, but he remained silent. I had the feeling he tailed his brother everywhere, whether it was for his own good or everyone else's, I didn't know.

"Come on, Merle," Shane scowled at him, but the hillbilly only raised his hands, a mocking smile on his face.

Brow arched in irritation, I ignored him and returned to my tale, "He tried to get on top of me and when I hit him with my gun, he shot me. Said I shouldn't have fought back, I was supposed to let him do what he wanted… So I shot him in the balls…"

I couldn't help but smile at the grimaces each man made, even Merle. Maybe he'd think twice about whatever dirty thoughts he wanted to make real… Then again, as he chewed on the inside of his cheek and focused on my chest, I doubted it…

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Thanks for the reviews and story alerts everyone! Please review and tell me if you're liking it!

To the anonymous reviewer: Thanks! I'm really glad you thought so; I hoped it would be a little different!

MyMissingHalo: Thank ya! This one's a little longer than the last.

Grim1989: Yup, but this is the beginning

Dragoness0420: Thanks! Really glad you're loving it!


	3. Campsite

Thanks for stopping in again guys! I'd love to hear from all of you *hinthint* By the way, I don't own _the Walking Dead_, but I'd be insanely happy if I did!

Chapter Two: Campsite

_I couldn't help but smile at the grimaces each man made, even Merle. Maybe he'd think twice about whatever dirty thoughts he wanted to make real… Then again, as he chewed on the inside of his cheek and focused on my chest, I doubted it…_

As Lori and some of the others returned to the little huddle, our talk was cut short; obviously, the guys didn't want to talk about what I had done to the sorry bastard who tried to get in my pants. The ladies would probably get a kick out of it, though…

Any weight I put on my leg was torturous and, as the minutes ticked by with all of the idle chatter, I couldn't help but wish I was just laying down in the back of the van. Hell, even the RV. Danny seemed to notice and he and Tory hurried over, abandoning the new friends they had found in Glenn and Amy, quickly sliding an arm around my waist to keep me propped up.

"Yeah, it's probably a good idea to get off yer feet," Shane ran his dark eyes along me, gauging my wellness, "do you wanna go back in the RV or in yer van? I know yer not up to drivin', but…"

"I'll go in the van, thanks," I answered with somewhat of a smile on my face. So far, these people seemed overly friendly, sans Daryl and his brother. That hadn't been my experience in this new world, not at all, but it was refreshing to say the least. I didn't feel like I had to be so guarded, at least, not yet anyway. That could always change and I was suddenly itching for my gun.

"I'll get your things from the RV," Glenn offered with a grin, tugging his cap off and running a hand through his thick, black hair. I gave him a grateful smile as he passed, jogging up to the massive, ancient vehicle and disappearing inside.

"Are you sure you'll be alright in the other car?" Jacqui inquired cautiously, "you won't have anyone there to look after your leg…" Though her concern was touching, it had Riley bristling; she always wanted to be a nurse and had been studying up on it in her free time, even though she wasn't even out of high school yet. She had even volunteered at an old folks' home apparently, just to get some experience.

"We'll be okay," I answered assuredly, "'sides, it's these guys that need looking after." I jerked my head towards my group, my new family, though most of them just rolled their eyes. They were teenagers, they knew everything. Though, I wasn't that much older than them, I didn't have that attitude; I never did.

As Glenn hopped back out of the RV and the rest of the crowd began returning to their vehicles, I gathered my S&W, tucking it carefully in my waistband, ignoring Merle's crude remark about what he'd like to tuck into my waistband. With Danny's help - nice as Shane seemed, I wasn't one hundred percent trusting of this new group just yet - I hobbled over to the van and climbed in after my kids. Kicking back in the front seat, I accepted a pillow that Jake threw up from the trunk.

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I hadn't even realized that I had fallen asleep until I woke with a start from the sudden jolt of the van. Shane shot me an apologetic look before announcing, "We're gonna make camp here; it should be far enough away from the city that the walkers won't come. Least not for a while." For a while meaning when all of the people in the big cities had been eaten.

At my nod, he hopped out of the van, strutting powerfully over to the others. Yeah, no doubt who was in charge there. Turning tiredly, I finally had a chance to talk to my party without any eavesdroppers. They all watched me silently, waiting - Shane may have been in charge in his group, but I was the one they looked to in mine.

"I want to take a chance and stay with these guys, at least for a while," I stated, casting a quick glance out at the mingling survivors, "they don't seem too bad and, well, if they are, just get back in the van and we'll get out of here."

"Kitkat, I don't think they're gonna end up being whacked out cannibals or something," Danny rolled his eyes, shaking his bangs away from his face, "anyway, they could have let you die out there, but they didn't."

"Danny's right; I think they're good," Riley added, bright eyes flicking out toward the collection of males who had quickly started cleaning out an open space in the middle of the clearing. Tory was doing the exact same thing.

Oh fantastic. Hormonal teenage girls and a group of adult males, some of whom probably hadn't been with a girl in a while. I was going to have my hands full. As long as I kept them away from Merle, though, I was probably going to be alright.

Mike and Jake didn't have much input on the subject, except that they liked Shane and Carl and Sophia. It would be nice to stop running from place to place, too. Not to mention, I felt like I owed it to these people to stick around and share my supplies; it was the least I could do for saving my life.

Nodding, I shot the kids a soft smile, "Alright, we need to pick out a spot to set up our tents. Plus, we should probably make a communal supply area, you think?"

The older kids smirked, looking at one another knowingly before Danny commented, "They're gonna flip, you know that? Shane said they didn't take much with them before they all left. They just sorta took what they could and then met up on the road."

"We're going to be very popular, then, aren't we?" I laughed, shoving the door open and leading the way out into the muggy Georgian air. It certainly wasn't something I was used to, this heat. I mean, up in Pennsylvania, it was only hot out for around three months; other than that, it was cool, cold, or freezing. While I liked the warm weather just fine, the humidity was irritatingly stifling.

The kids followed me out and Danny took it upon himself to find a good spot for the tents, somewhere that hadn't been taken just yet. I told Mike and Jake to go find Carl and Sophia and just have some fun for once, as long as they didn't escape the sight of one of the adults.

Before Riley and Tory could wander off, though, I grabbed them and put on my most intimidating face. You think it might not work when they were both taller than I was, but I had a knack for powerful glares, complete with one eyebrow raised high, challengingly.

"Girls, I just want to say; there are some nice lookin' guys out there-," they let out embarrassed giggles, glancing furtively toward Shane, whose muscles you could see flexing from here, "hey, but listen… Just, be careful. Merle's going to be a handful, we already know that, but you never know with these other guys. I'm not saying that they'll want to hurt you, but you are only sixteen. If anything happens, let me know, okay?"

Riley and Tory were now beyond embarrassed; it was like the sex talk all over again, except I wasn't even their mother. They both shifted awkwardly, before nodding, Tory commenting, "C'mon, Cat, we wouldn't do anything like that…"

Somehow I doubted it, but kept my mouth shut. Feeling like I aged ten years in the last four hours, I nodded and smiled tightly, "Yeah, well, I just want to make sure you guys are safe."

"We will be, don't worry," Riley informed me, before smiling and hugging me, "we're glad you're alright. We're gonna go find Amy and see if there's anything we can do about her hair." She nodded toward Tory, who glowered but didn't disagree. Her hair was a frizzy mess in all of the heat; she looked like an electrocuted poodle at the moment.

Laughing, I waved them off and considered my options now. I really should have tried to stay off of my leg, but I couldn't just sit around and do nothing. Not like that Ed guy was doing, sitting on a log and ordering his wife to try and put up their tent. Sneering in disgust, I looked away and limped over to Shane and Jim, who were digging out a little spot for the fire.

"Hey guys," I smiled slightly, putting all of my weight on my good leg, alleviating some of the pressure on the bad one. They stopped what they were doing and looked up, smiling politely.

"What can I do for ya, Cat?" Shane queried breathlessly, wiping a hand across his damp forehead, pulling himself to full height. Totally obvious why the girls had been staring at _him_. If I didn't have so much to do, I might be, too… Jim just contented himself with scraping out a hole and making a ring of rocks around it. Occasionally Morales or Dale would bring an armful of sticks into the campsite and drop them at his side.

"Remember me telling you about all of the stuff I had in the van?" I inquired, tilting my head toward the vehicle. He nodded, breathing heavily through his nose, dark eyes glancing toward what could have been (and was) a treasure trove in the trunk.

Gesturing for him to follow me, I pushed myself toward the van, moving around back and pulling it open. I almost giggled at the look of disbelief that broke out on his face, but refrained; not polite to giggle at your rescuer, was it?

There were boxes and boxes of canned and bagged food; anything that wasn't perishable had been in my cart faster than you could say 'stolen'. Vegetables, Chef-Boy-R-Dee stuff; things that we could keep stockpiled and wouldn't have to waste. Not to mention, I had all of our clothes and some clothes I grabbed from the hotel; Dad's, Mom's… Maybe they would fit some of my new acquaintances.

"Where the hell did you get these guns?" Shane questioned, shock evident in his voice, as he picked up a high-powered rifle, hoisting it to his shoulder and peering through the scope.

"There was a sporting goods store near the hotel," I answered, retrieving my crossbow and holding it tight to my chest, "I ran over there before we left, just to get some things we'd probably need. When I came back, Jake and Mike were hiding from…"

"Yer parents?" Shane guessed, mouth set in a grim line, fists resting on his hips.

Swallowing, I simply nodded, before clearing my throat and sending him a small grin, "Take what you want; as long as I have this an' my pistol, I don't need any of the other ones."

He sent me a 'you sure?' glance, before smiling broadly, "Thanks, Cat. You just made things a helluva lot easier for us…" He called over a few of the others, who, when they saw my stockpile, all gave me hugs or pats on the back in thanks.

Stepping away from the van, I decided to check around my new home, see what things were like. I had gone camping before, but never for more than a few days and not away from campgrounds, where, unless you really wanted to test nature, there were facilities for anything you might need. Roughing it wouldn't be the least of my problems, though. I could do it without complaint - outwardly, anyway; I just needed to watch out for walkers and Merle. I could handle it, right?

Waving at Andrea and Dale as I passed them, I made my way to the quarry. The lake there was beautiful and it would keep us from grossing each other out by never bathing, at least. As I knelt down, despite my leg's protest, and touched the warm, inviting water, I caught sight of Daryl standing on the other side.

I had no idea how he had gotten over there so quickly, but he had his crossbow at the ready, tucked up against his shoulder in case anything came across his path that needed a quick, silent bolt to the head. He moved with surprising stealth and grace, as if he belonged in the woods; a hunter if ever there was one.

I barely moved, but he caught it, tensing and turning quickly, bow aimed at my face. Neither of us moved for a moment, before I slowly stood, my own bow hanging limply at my side. He regarded it and, even from here I could see the smirk on his face, slowly lowered the bow to his own side. Something suddenly caught his attention, though, because he had the bow back up almost instantly and stalked into the forest, disappearing from sight.

Breathing out a sigh that I hadn't known I was holding, I paused, considering how impressive just that little display had been. There was something… alluring, mesmerizing almost about what I had just seen. Though I doubted most people would see Daryl Dixon the way I just had, I would have to tuck it away in the back of my head. I could see Riley's and Tory's reactions now…

"Cat, you really need to get off your feet."

Turning, I caught Lori's and Jacqui's disapproving frowns. Lori's expression reminded me of my mother's, whenever she would be scolding Jake for playing video games instead of doing homework or for not doing his chores during summer vacation. Those looks always scared me when I was little; now it just irritated me.

"I don't want to be useless," I explained, shrugging slightly, glancing at the seemingly empty woods across the lake once more, "I could, I dunno, go scouting around or something?" While I had never gone hunting before, I wasn't quite sure I'd be able to kill anything that wasn't already dead and walking around. But I was always willing to try.

"Merle and Daryl have that covered," Jacqui informed me, her tone turning derisive as she and the woman beside her scowled, "they're hunting, too; hopefully they plan on sharing it…"

"I think it'd be very nice if they did," I answered, brows high on my forehead. Honestly, those two could easily keep whatever they caught to themselves; we'd have to consider ourselves lucky, not to mention grateful even, if they did share it.

Jacqui regarded me, puzzlement written on her features, but she just nodded toward camp, "If you want, you can help make the fire; that way, you're not standing anymore but you can keep yourself busy."

WDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWD

Building a fire was harder than it looked. And it already looked hard enough as it was. Just for the novelty, I tried to do it the old-fashioned way, rubbing a stick between my hands. That just left me with splinters and cuts galore. Then, I borrowed a pair of Dale's reading glasses and tried to light it that way. I think I killed a few termites and ants that were lingering on the logs I had built up, but that was about it.

No one commented on my fire-making skills, or lack thereof, because the same would have happened to them. I had been at my frustrating task for nearly an hour, when I heard the heavy plodding of booted feet heading my way.

Glancing up and wiping a bead of sweat from my forehead, I saw Daryl heading toward the center of camp, a string of rabbits and squirrels hanging over his shoulder. He was pouring sweat, occasionally swiping at his eyes whenever the trickles made their way in that direction.

"Hey, Daryl," I called, leaning back and poking carefully at my swelled leg, before glancing toward him once more. His intense, almost predatory gaze shifted to my exhausted form questioningly. "You've made fires before?"

"That's what yer doin'?" he queried, his Southern drawl thick, certainly playing up on his hillbilly appearance, a slight smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth, "thought you was tryin' ta put a tree back t'gether."

Letting out a sarcastic laugh, I just raised my hands in defeat, "I got bored, alright? I just kept adding sticks for the hell of it." Really, I doubted we'd want a huge fire anyway, but now I was basically just trying to see how high I could get the pile before it all fell over.

He changed direction and crouched down beside me, removing all of the big logs I had put oh-so-strategically in place, until there was a small pile of kindling left. He dug through his pockets and retrieved a lighter, rolling it between his fingers and grinning before offering it to me.

"Well, that would've made things a lot easier," I growled, snapping the lid opening and catching a flame, "where were you an hour ago?"

"Catchin' dinner fer y'all," he replied, chuckling slightly, jerking his head back toward the fresh meat that probably was bleeding out across his back.

I paused, then, snapping the lid shut and turning to face him. His expression became unreadable, keeping his thoughts hidden, but he quirked a brow when I laughed.

"Thanks, Daryl."

He shifted awkwardly, before standing and nodding shortly. He set his kill down beside me before heading off toward the tent he shared with his brother. I nudged the unblinking rabbits away from me with a foot but smirked and lit the fire.

WDWDWDWDWDWDWD

I don't know how I feel about this chapter… hmm… well, I hope you all enjoyed it!

_**constantly lost: **__I know! I'd love to see it haha, and I can so see him doing it, just because it's Shane's…_

_**Grim1989:**__ I know, if some guy was trying to rape me and I had a gun, I'd be all for that… I know, it's just such a good show! I just watched it again yesterday; I love it so much! _

_**MyMissingHalo: **__Thank you so much! The characters are so interesting; I'm hoping that Cat will fit in there nicely :]. Yeah, I'm going to be adding tidbits here and there, just so it's not all at once. _

_**Nelle07: **__Thanks!_

_**Lonelywaldorf: **__Thank you! Some of them play off really well with each other; I can't wait to get more into it! _


	4. Walking

Sorry it's been a while since I updated last! I'd love to hear from all of you *hinthint* By the way, I don't own _the Walking Dead_, but that'd be amazing :D

Chapter Three: Walking

_He shifted awkwardly, before standing and nodding shortly. He set his kill down beside me before heading off toward the tent he shared with his brother. I nudged the unblinking rabbits away from me with a foot but smirked and lit the fire. _

Settling into our new camp was almost a relief. No more moving around, sleeping in the van when we couldn't find a safe place to clear out and rest, and somewhat of a normal routine to follow every day. It was, for the most part, fantastic.

Everyone was incredibly welcoming, which certainly eased my mind at having committed my group to staying. Then again, we had no technical obligation to stay and could leave anytime we wanted (it wasn't a prison), but with how well the kids were adjusting, I couldn't bear to take them away.

Of course, not _everyone_ was to our liking. The only ones I couldn't tolerate were Merle and Ed. Now, the latter left us alone, though I didn't like how he eyed Tory and Riley when they weren't looking. He never tried anything; strictly kept his wife and daughter on a short leash, dragging one or the other away at odd times for God only knows what. My stomach knotted at the thought.

And Merle, well, Merle liked to make his crude comments to the younger duo on occasion, but stuck to me mostly. Too many innuendos, too many accidental brushes… way too many leers. No one, save his younger brother, had any kind of control over him, and whatever Daryl could do, it wasn't much. What Merle wanted to do - within reason - he did.

A few weeks after our stay, a voice came in over Shane's CB radio. It was hard to understand, but as Amy, Danny, and I crouched around it, a few garbled syllables came through. My stomach dropped like lead when I heard the word 'Atlanta'. There was a woman's voice, sobbing in the background, and what sounded like kids whimpering.

We had been to Atlanta, but hadn't stuck around for more than a quick supply grab. Mike had almost gotten bit when he thought he saw his mom in the crowd - it was her, but I wouldn't admit it to him, especially not after I had to put a bullet through her half-missing face anyway. The swarms of walkers there was just too much and, apparently, this other group knew that as well.

Dale commented grimly about the poor souls making their way into the city, but when we tried to reach him, all we got was static. I tried several times, but Shane told me it was no use. Whoever it was couldn't hear us and would end up finding out first hand how bad Atlanta had gotten.

That didn't sit well with me.

Quickly and quietly, I stood and headed over toward the lake, where Lori and Carol were finishing up some of the laundry, chatting amiably about the kids and how they would take care of their education now that the world had gone to hell.

I plopped down beside them, holding my head in my hands and explaining what had just transpired back at the RV. They didn't seem pleased that we couldn't reach the family, but assured me there was nothing to be done.

Picking up a stone from the shoreline, I rolled it between my hands as the two of them resumed their conversation. Quirking a brow, I hesitantly offered, "Well, I just graduated from college, before this all happened. I was a history major; if you wanted, I could go over a little of that with them sometimes."

Lori grinned and questioned, "How good are you at writing? Carl's not too great at it an' maybe you could give him a hand with that, too?" Carol looked just as interested, a small, timid smile on her face.

It wouldn't hurt, and it would give me something to do. While my leg _was_ on the mend, Shane wouldn't take me up on my offer to patrol with the guys, since I wouldn't be able to run away if walkers showed. And, though I hadn't had a chance to ask, I doubted Daryl would take me out hunting when my plodding limp would scare off the animals.

"I can do that," I answered with a smile, standing and skipping the stone over the water's calm surface, "just tell me when and we'll get started." They thanked me, relieved to keep their children's minds from being stunted, and continued on with their work.

As for me, I wanted to take a walk around the lake. I usually did, everyday at some point, just to clear my mind and get away from Merle's insistent offers to warm his sleeping bag or "hell, we could just get it on righ' here, don' matter t' me"…

And I didn't have to worry about the kids, so long as they kept clear of Merle and Ed. It wasn't hard to do; I saw Danny hanging almost constantly around Amy, as the two of them, Tory, Riley, and Glenn became a little clique. Jake and Mike were becoming fast friends with Sophia and Carl, even though the two of them were a little older than their new pals. It was nice to have someone to horse around with and they didn't hesitate to include Sophia, when Ed loosened his reign a little bit.

The trees were thick along the shore, giving just a few feet between their trunks and the water's edge to walk, but it was peaceful, perfect. My gait was steadier, surer now then it had been when I first tried to walk on my wounded leg. Soon enough, I think I'd be okay and fit for duty, if Shane was up to having me.

The more I walked, simply taking in the gently lapping waves and the high chirps and trills of the birds, the calmer I became. Even though the others were alright with leaving that family, I hadn't been. Hell, that's why I had stopped in the first place for the guy that ended up shooting me; he acted like he was hurt and I couldn't just leave him there. As much of a badass as I liked to play, sometimes those things just got to me.

But now, I didn't really dwell on it; I couldn't. If we couldn't reach him by radio, there was no way we'd reach Atlanta in time to get them. I felt sorry for them, but there wasn't anything to be done. I hated that.

"What'choo doin' out here?"

If I hadn't been so immersed in my thoughts, Daryl wouldn't have scared me so badly; as it was, I nearly stumbled into the water, wide-eyed and wild, searching him out in the surrounding trees.

He emerged, his shirt and hair damp with sweat, a small smirk on his face from startling me like he had. His crossbow was resting on his shoulder, his hands smeared with blood.

Raising an eyebrow, I inquired, "Did you get hurt or was that from whatever you killed?"

He gave me a 'what do you think?' look, before swinging his catch around from over his shoulder, showing off his winnings. There were four squirrels and about the same amount of rabbits, tied all together on a long piece of twine.

Smiling, I thanked him for his catch - it was kind of a ritual thing. No one else seemed all that grateful for the things he brought back to camp and, if they even thanked him at all, it was grudgingly. I, on the other hand, didn't have a problem with the youngest Dixon - sure, he could be hotheaded and let out some inappropriate comments, but all in all, we got along well enough - and thanked him every time, to which he would just smirk or nod in reply.

"Ya never did say what yer doin' out here," he commented, ocean eyes running over me, though it didn't bother me nearly as much as Merle's perusal did; that made me want to knock his teeth in. Daryl's was more of a quick survey, his eyes glinting with curiosity.

"Just… walking, thinking," I shrugged, starting on my way again, glancing over my shoulder, "you coming or going back to camp?"

His eyes turned back toward the camp - we were almost a quarter of the way around the lake - before adjusting his crossbow and his catch, and plodding after me. He wasn't hunting now, he didn't have to be quiet.

"What'd you do before this, Daryl?" I inquired, genuinely curious. I knew quite a bit about everyone else, but the Dixons were a little less forthcoming with their backgrounds and I didn't want to know _anything_ about Merle or his sexual prowess, no matter how much he offered.

Daryl shrugged, almost uncomfortably, and squinted out over the water, scanning the surface for fish, maybe, "Whatever needed done; 'm not too bad with cars an' bikes. Fixed 'em up for people sometimes. Worked on houses, too."

Nodding, I smiled and stepped carefully over a fallen log. I could see Daryl as a handyman; kind of a scary, intimidating one, but a good one nonetheless. Good with his hands, maybe not so much with his head, but that was okay.

"What about you?" That surprised me; I didn't expect to have much of a conversation with Daryl - what he had just said was about the most he usually said to me and very rare for anyone else in camp, besides Merle. I certainly hadn't expected him to ask questions of his own.

"Went to school," I answered with a shrug, "four years of college and then a zombie invasion. What a waste of money…" He let out the slightest of snorts, a smirk pulling at his mouth, before I continued, "I was a history major; always loved learning about the past. I mean, sure it wouldn't cure cancer or… whatever this thing is… but it was what I loved."

He nodded, "So yer one o' them smart chicks?"

Snorting, I rolled my eyes but grinned, "I guess so. But that doesn't matter, not now anyways; zombies don't care if you got good grades. They'll tear you apart if you're the dumbest or smartest person alive."

He rolled his shoulders and agreed, though he sent me a sidelong glance, amusement in his gaze, "Dumb ones go first…"

At first I thought to agree, but then, it wasn't just stupidity that got people killed in this new world; sometimes it was just bad luck. It was almost impossible to get through without a bite or a scratch, let alone being torn to shreds in front of your family. My family.

"Not always," I sighed softly, a sad smile on my face, continuing on my way, quickening my pace so he wouldn't see the tear or two that leaked from my eyes.

I heard him grumble a curse behind me, before his footfalls trailed after me, closing the distance between us. He gently grabbed my arm and pulled me to a halt, looking as though he wanted to say something, to apologize maybe, but it wouldn't come. While his voice couldn't, though, his eyes could.

I guess that was all I could ask for.

We had made it about three-fourths of the way around the lake, silent for the most part except for the occasional comment here and there, when something caught his attention. He halted, head tilted to the side, eyes narrowed as he listened to something within the woods.

I could hear the faint rustling as well, once he clued me in on what the hell he had noticed, and wondered aloud as to what it was. With most of the state's population turning into the undead, I was a little on edge about investigating, but, as Daryl put it, it could have been a deer. And if he could take that down, we'd be in excellent shape for the next few days' meals.

So, quietly as possible, we made our way into the trees. He didn't want me to follow him, though I didn't know if it was because I would be too loud or because it would be too dangerous, but didn't say a word about it once I refused to budge. I felt like a cow next to him, seeing as his footsteps were almost inaudible and I managed to step on every twig around. He shot me exasperated glares, but after the dozenth time, he must have decided it was futile.

He suddenly stopped, waving for me to crouch, and we both did. He had his crossbow out and, though I unfortunately left mine in my tent, I did have my S&W on me. He motioned for me to take it out and as we armed ourselves, we crept forward through the bushes.

When we finally came across the scene, Daryl's hand flew to my mouth and concealed my gasp. We exchanged a startled glance, before he jerked his head backwards, back rigid, and we hurried away as best we could without drawing Shane's and Lori's attention.

We made quick work of the last quarter between us and the lake, occasionally sending each other surprised or disgusted faces. Stepping closer to Daryl, I noticed him tense up, but never break his stride. Though I was in his personal space, probably something he had built up just as well as I had, I couldn't help it.

"Didn't Lori just lose her husband or something?" I queried, brow furrowed upward in shock, "how long ago did that happen?" I knew the end of the world did crazy things to people, but what happened to mourning? If I had been so in love with my husband - as she certainly sounded whenever she talked about him and how she wore her late hubby's wedding ring around her neck - I wouldn't be so quick to jump into bed with the first guy that offered.

"Don' know," Daryl replied, grimacing at the image that had been burned in both of our minds, "don' care; don' ever wanna see that again…"

"Agreed," I chimed in, raising my hand for emphasis, before joking, "as if I didn't have enough nightmares before…"

Daryl didn't laugh like I had expected him to, so when I turned my gaze up toward his face, I wanted to know why. He was staring down at me, brows settled in what looked like concern, but could have passed for annoyance if you weren't looking close enough.

Before I could say anything, though, we had reached the edge of camp, just along the lake where I had left Lori and Carol. The kids, both Lori and Carl and my own group, were playing there now, under the watchful gaze of Andrea and Dale, dashing around in the shallow water and chasing each other. The boys, my brother included, were ganging up on the girls, chasing them down and dunking them when they could. Sure, most of them were old enough to take care of themselves, but they were fun to watch.

"Kitkat, come play with us," Danny waved me over, hardly budging when Amy jumped on his back. When my brows raised, his face flushed a bright red; oh, I'd love to hear him try and talk his way out of that one…

"I don't know, there's probably something around camp for me to do," I replied, shrugging, though I had to admit, the water did look inviting. It was crystal clear, the bright sunlight sparkling off of the surface, and had to be nice and cool in the awful heat.

"Aw, we can spare you if you want to take a dip, Cathy," Dale smiled, gesturing for me to join the kids.

"Hey, have you seen my mom?" Carl inquired suddenly, though he was partially distracted as he tried to keep Mike from knocking him over, "she said she was gonna go look for wood with Shane, but she didn't say it'd take this long…"

I tensed slightly, noticeable only to Daryl, who remained absolutely silent, standing stock-still. Shifting my eyes to him for a split-second, he met my gaze and we mutely agreed not to mention what we had seen to anyone, certainly not Lori's son, but none of the others, either.

Smiling brightly, I shrugged, "We didn't see her while we were out there, but we weren't really looking in the woods, either."

"I wouldn't worry about her, Carl," Dale added, smiling assuredly, adjusting his bucket hat and wiping his perspiring forehead with the back of his hand.

"Daryl and Cat would have noticed if something happened," Andrea added, noting the boy's somber expression, glancing at us pointedly, "right guys?"

Daryl and I both nodded, the former scowling in the sunlight while I smiled overly brightly. I doubted if they all believed me, especially the older ones, but the other kids didn't question me for a second.

"Hey Daryl! Bring them rabbits and squirrels over here so we can clean 'em!" Merle bellowed from across the campsite, standing outside of his tent with his arms folded across his chest. Even from where I was, I noticed the leer on his face. "Hey, sweet cheeks, why don't you come too an' keep me some company?"

Smiling sarcastically, I fought the urge to flip him off, only because of the kids behind me. Ignoring him instead, I turned back to the others; the kids had resumed fighting, while Dale and Andrea continued their conversation.

Daryl spared a glance at me again, before nodding slightly and heading toward camp. The closer he got to Merle, I heard him grumbled about 'keepin' his damn mouth shut. I'd have to thank him for that later.

WDWDWDWDWDWD

Sooo what'd ya think? Thanks to everyone who reviewed!

_**Witchbaby300: **__Thanks! I'm so glad you're liking it! :D_

_**Grim1989: **__Yeah, I don't know when it does, but I can't wait! Well, you never know lol :P We'll see what happens! But I'm really glad you like it so far!_

_**Nelle07: **__Thanks! Yeah, I feel like he wouldn't be; he just might be a little gruff and awkward sometimes lol. _

_**MoxieMayhem: **__Aw thanks! I'm really glad you're enjoying it! Haha, I'm gonna have more Merle in the next chapter; I was gonna have it be him instead of Daryl coming out of the woods in this chapter, but I changed my mind. I'm really glad you think that about the way I wrote Daryl; I always try my best :D And I'm glad you like Cat, too; I didn't want to make her too predictable lol_

_**Rickii101:**__ Thanks! :D_

_**MyMissingHalo:**__ Oh that's okay! I'm just glad you're still reading it!_


	5. Fighting

Sorry it's taken forever to update! This semester is honestly incredibly hard, work-load-wise. I guess that's the way it goes when you want to graduate in December, right?

Disclaimer: I don't own the _Walking Dead_ but I definitely wish I did… I would definitely create Cat and then play her on TV ;D So, there's some swearing in this chappie, just wanted to warn you all… Please review!

Chapter Four: Fighting

_"Hey Daryl! Bring them rabbits and squirrels over here so we can clean 'em!" Merle bellowed from across the campsite, standing outside of his tent with his arms folded across his chest. Even from where I was, I noticed the leer on his face. "Hey, sweet cheeks, why don't you come too an' keep me some company?"_

_Smiling sarcastically, I fought the urge to flip him off, only because of the kids behind me. Ignoring him instead, I turned back to the others; the kids had resumed fighting, while Dale and Andrea continued their conversation._

_Daryl spared a glance at me again, before nodding slightly and heading toward camp. The closer he got to Merle, I heard him grumbled about 'keepin' his damn mouth shut'. I'd have to thank him for that later._

A few days had passed and Daryl and I refused to speak about Lori and Shane. I didn't know the backstory – probably didn't want to – but hoped to God that Carl never found out. I mean, losing your dad, then finding your mom and your dad's best friend doing it in the middle of the woods… Not ideal. I personally would rather not think about it at all, but every time I saw the two of them, I had to grimace. I had no idea what Daryl thought, but I knew he was just as disgusted by the situation as I was.

The sun was bright and hot, beating down on my back as I quickly, almost expertly now, lit a fire and heaved the heavy, cast iron pot over it. Pouring a few buckets' worth of water into it, I stood and stretched; hopefully that would boil soon and we'd have some safe drinking water to fill the bottles and canteens with.

"Listen, we're runnin' real low on supplies," Shane made his way toward the RV, Dale by his side, the older man looking beyond concerned, "what Cat brought was great an' all, an' it saved us an earlier trip into the city, but we gotta go back in; get what we can…"

"I don't know, Shane," Dale sighed heavily, mouth pursed in grave contemplation, "Atlanta's going to be swarming with those things; we can't risk having any of our members attacked, now can we?"

Making my way toward the two, I quirked a brow, "Are there any towns nearby? Smaller ones; lower population maybe?"

"I'll go check the map," Dale nodded, sending me a grateful smile and disappearing into the RV.

Shane rested his fists on his hips and frowned, shaking his head lightly, before turning to me. His nearly black eyes did a quick once-over on me and he scratched the back of his neck, "You know there's not gonna be _half_ the supplies in any o' those hicktowns like there would be in Atlanta…"

"I know," I answered, pulling my lips to one side, "_but_ there's not gonna be _half_ the walkers there, either… That's a pretty _huge_ risk, Shane, sending any of our people in there…" A week ago, it would have been weird to say 'our' about all of the new people we had met, but now it came naturally. I cared about each member – except maybe Merle and Ed – and really would rather not see something happen to any of them – again, except maybe Merle or Ed…

"Well, it'll be a volunteer only thing; no one _has_ to go," he replied, eyes darting to the side as Daryl strode into view, but he paid him no more notice. The sweat-soaked hillbilly, though, looked between the two of us closely, gaze narrowed as Shane took a step closer to me.

Out of the corner of my eye, I watched him sit on the open bed of his and Merle's truck, crossbow innocently beside him, his eyes never leaving the two of us. After what we had seen and his lack of trust in anyone, he was probably suspecting the worst. I fought a grin and returned my attention to Shane.

"I suppose," I answered, shrugging slightly. Unless I had to, I wouldn't be offering my services. Yes, I had a badass crossbow and my S&W, but I would feel so much better about being there with my kids. Anyway, I had the feeling that big bad Shane wouldn't be too happy with me traveling with the group. I was tiny, shorter than anyone over the age of 15; I didn't look the part I guess.

"We'll figure it out this afternoon, 'kay, Cat?" Shane patted my shoulder, nodding, and stalked off toward the quarry where Lori, Andrea, and Amy were washing their clothes. _Mmhmm, like I need to ask…_

Arms folded across my chest, I turned, strolling over to Daryl, who slowly, methodically sharpened his best hunting knife. He lifted a brow, silently pushing his crossbow further into the truck bed, giving me enough space to hop up beside him.

"What was that all about?" he inquired nonchalantly, shoving the knife back into its holster, reaching for his crossbow and checking it over.

"He wants to send a group into Atlanta to get more supplies," I mused, squinting against the glaring sun, scoping out the area for any of my gang. Danny and Amy were getting _real_ buddy-buddy, cozied up on an enormous boulder beside the quarry. Well, I wasn't his mom, I wasn't his sister; I couldn't say anything and Amy was a nice girl so it really didn't matter. And I definitely couldn't say anything when he was multitasking, watching all of the kids as they played in the crystal water.

"Damn," Daryl raised his brows, casting me a quick glance, "you gonna go?"

Shrugging, I rubbed my hands together, eyes zeroing in on Jake, letting out a noncommittal hum. I hadn't left him since the zombie invasion and I really didn't feel all that great about doing it now. Then again, I was good with a weapon and pretty quick on my feet, when I was in full health.

Glancing down at my leg, I winced. It was still on the mend, doing pretty well actually, considering the infections I could've gotten (thankfully the kids and I had gathered a pretty decent stash of meds before we met the others), but I didn't want to try and test it out with a few blood-thirsty, contagious walkers…

"_You_ gonna go?" I inquired, looking back up at the powerful man beside me.

He tilted his head to the side, weighing the question. An unsettled look crossed his face, brow settling heavily over his eyes and he shook his head, frowning, "Naw, I think big, bad bossman can take care of it…"

A slight grin crossed my face, both at the jab at Shane and the weird look, "What was that for?"

"What?" he queried, eyeing my smirking self in confusion.

Snorting, I mimicked his look, prodding, "So… what was the weird look for?" Obviously he had been thinking about going, but something had him changing his mind pretty decidedly.

He shrugged, turning away from me and staring out toward the lake. His eyes shifted toward his tent before looking back at me as I nudged him, a mixture of surprise and wariness in his dark eyes. That passed quickly enough as my prodding gaze got to him; "Merle."

Brows high at the revelation I blinked, "Well… that should have been my first guess."

"He's my brother an' everything, don't get me wrong," he stated, returning his gaze to the lake, "but don't think I don't know what he's like… I ain't leavin' him alone here, especially if all you got is Ed an' Dale to..." he shrugged awkwardly, scratching his jaw.

"I think you'd be surprised at how well _some_ of us can take care of ourselves, Daryl," I mused, poking his shoulder and smiling. Despite the whole crack at women there, his concern was surprisingly touching.

He glanced down at his shoulder, where a little red finger print was rapidly disappearing, before shooting me an unimpressed stare, "You do that a lot?"

It was my turn to eye him in confusion, "What?"

"Touch people," he jerked his head toward his arm for emphasis, raising his brows almost challengingly.

Blinking – I hadn't thought about it, but no, I didn't just randomly touch people – before pursing my lips, "Don't change the subject, sir…"

"Okay, _you_ can take care of yerself, an' them kids, but I don't know 'bout them others," he replied, glancing skeptically at Lori and Carol, who were earnestly going over something in one of the kids' textbooks with Carl, Sophia, Jake, and Mike. I'd have to go over the causes of the American Revolution with them later.

"Have to agree with you on that one," I nodded, shooting him a grateful grin; I always appreciated the fact that he was so opposite Merle sometimes – the bullheaded hillbilly loved to comment on how he didn't think I could handle a _gun_ that big and that he wanted to know for sure. Gun, my ass…

"Still, none o' y'all can hunt worth crap an' who knows how long we'd be gone," he continued, leaning back and propping himself up on his elbows, glaring up at the sun.

Dropping back, I folded my arms behind my head and closed my eyes, sighing heavily, "Well, if I had something to fish with, we'd be fine…"

"You fish?" he sounded somewhat impressed and more than a little surprised, "damn; you're not like the rest o' them smart chicks, are ya?"

"God, Daryl, don't be so macho," I scoffed laughingly, "yes, I can fish. But it _may_ please you to know that I don't like putting the worm on the hook… Does that make you feel any better?"

"You can shoot a guy in the balls an' take on packs o' damn walkers, but ya can't touch a worm," he snorted, and, without even cracking an eye open, I knew he was smirking, "how d'ya get the fish off the hook?"

"Reluctantly," I mused, earning a slight chuckle from the dirty blonde redneck. Cracking an eye, I glanced over at him, letting out an exaggerated gasp at the fact that he _actually_ laughed. He shot up, reaching for his crossbow, and looked around quickly.

His wild stare and subsequent glare when I started laughing just struck me funny, sending me into hysterics. Honestly, I hadn't laughed, _really_ laughed, since before the whole debacle began, and I couldn't stop.

Daryl returned to his position, tossing the crossbow back onto the bed with a loud _thunk_, and watched me silently, a slight frown on his face. Obviously, he didn't like being laughed at and, at the moment, I just didn't care. Tears streamed down my face as I clutched my stomach, laughing until my sides hurt.

It took a few minutes for my probably maniacal laughter to subside, breathless and tired. Dropping back against the truck bed, I dried my eyes with an arm, turning to look at Daryl, who was staring at me intently, intensely. I couldn't tell if he was pissed that I laughed at him or concerned that I'd finally gone off the deep end.

"Sorry," I cleared my throat, biting my lip and staring up at the cloudless sky. Hopefully the warm, red tinge flooding my cheeks was less than visible.

He didn't get a chance to respond, because a solid form blocked out the sun, hovering over me, and a less than welcomed voice chuckling, "Well, well, well, you get her ready for me, brother? How was she?"

The high from being a complete and utter moron toppled away pretty quickly as I shot up, glaring daggers at Merle. He had that _stupid_ smug smirk on his face, fingers hooked around his belt loops, as he stared down at me with an unsettling leer. He stepped forward slightly, ready to climb onto the truck beside me.

Daryl pushed himself up off of the truck, immediately putting himself between Merle and I, shoving himself into his brother's face. He scowled darkly, stepping forward, bumping Merle with his chest and sending his brother back a step or two as he growled, "Damn it, Merle, I _told_ you to keep your _damn mouth shut_."

Brows high on my forehead, I looked between the brothers, one looking smugger than before and the other ready to throw down. The standoff drew more than a few of our fellow survivors' attention. Morales and Andrea looked up from around the fire, while Dale and Shane peered out from the RV. Even Ed, the lazy ass that he was, peered up from his throne beside Carol, Lori, and the kids.

Nose wrinkling, I stood, approaching the pair and stating solidly, "Daryl, c'mon; you know I don't take anything he says personally. He's just an asshole who couldn't get any if he wanted…"

The jab had Merle letting out an amused 'whoowee!' and I could've sworn I heard Andrea let out a snort, but Daryl didn't seem to find it funny. His glare was predatory, his muscles tensed and fists clenched, never once backing down, "It ain't funny; enough o' this shit, Merle…"

_Damn, this could get _real_ ugly, real quick_, I scowled.

"Well if ye wanted her for yerself, you coulda just said, kid," Merle squeezed his brother's shoulder, giving me a lewd wink, running his eyes over me. Being the asshole he was, he just couldn't resist, "You better get movin', though, cuz I'm can't guarantee I won't be sneakin' into her tent an' makin' myself to home…"

Daryl cut him off with a hard punch to the jaw, sending his brother stumbling backwards. Again, asshole that he was, Merle snarled and lunged for him, tackling him to the ground. Jumping out of the way as the two of them tussled past me, I bristled.

Shane, sheriff's deputy as he was, raced forward, T-Dog and Morales following quickly, and began breaking the brawling, cursing brothers apart. Shane shot me a look and I helped T-Dog pull Daryl backwards, toward the RV, while he and Morales hauled Merle, kicking and screaming, back toward the treeline.

"Daryl, I told _you_ to leave it alone," I hissed, grabbing at his shirt and forcing him to turn his death glare onto me, "him bein' a dick to me's not worth you losin' the only family you've got left…" I released his shirt as he yanked his arms from T-Dog, who still had a pretty firm grasp on the fuming redneck.

T-Dog stepped back, hands raised, as Daryl shot him a glare, before returning his gaze to me. He breathed heavily through his nose, jaw clenching, before sparing his brother a hard glance. With that, he grabbed his crossbow and stalked off into the woods behind the truck.

Striding up to Merle – Shane and Morales tightened their grasps on him, just in case - I shoved a finger into this chest, earning a slight frown from him, "You. You even _try_ to sneak into my tent an' I'll rip your balls off with my bare hands…"

He hummed, running his tongue over his lower lip, and winked, "We'll see what you'll be doin' with those bare hands, kitten…"

"Man, shut your damn mouth," Shane snarled, tightening his hold on Merle, earning a pained, yet amused laugh from the bastard, "don't you ever learn, man?"

Ignoring Shane, I took a step forward, closer to Merle, and gave him a disarming, alluring smile. He quirked a brow, questioning; I think I completely blindsided him when my fist crashed against his jaw, opposite of the purple bruise courtesy of Daryl. "We sure will, Merle…"

Striding toward the quarry, Tory caught my arm, casting me a worried frown, but I shook the girl's hand away and hurried past her. Completely clothed, I dove in, reveling in the shockingly cold water, slowly resurfacing and taking a deep breath.

Why did Merle have to be such a tool? I mean, Ed kept to himself, aside from Sophia and Carol, who I couldn't help but feel badly for. But Merle _always_ had to be up in someone's face, especially mine. And because of that, his relationship with his only brother was strained.

"So what, may I ask, was all that about?"

Turning, I sighed, staring up at Danny, Tory, and Riley as they perched themselves on a few boulders around the water. The boy was giving me a prodding stare, urging me to answer his question.

"I would think it was pretty obvious," I replied, pushing off of the sandy ground below and floating on my back.

"I don't know; that whole blow up back there," Riley jerked her finger toward the campsite, her tone much more nonchalant than her eyes, "the one where Daryl Dixon got into a fight with his brother because the asshole couldn't stop bein' an asshole..."

"I think that about sums it up, girl," I replied, staring up at the endless stretch of blue overhead, eyes drifting toward a stray cloud that ambled into the picture.

"But _Daryl_ sticks to his brother like glue," Tory mused, propping her face up with her fist, "an' he doesn't really come to anyone's rescue, no matter what Merle says…"

"I don't know," I retorted, "Daryl doesn't like the way Merle acts, I guess… he just pushed his button one too many times."

"Hmm, wonder what that button's name is," Danny smirked, hauling himself to his feet and strolling back towards camp. Tory and Riley were quick to follow, disappearing from sight and leaving me to myself.

I knew exactly what that button's name was. I guess the question was; why?

~!~!~!~!~!~!

So, I don't know how I feel about that; do you think Daryl was to out of character? Cuz I will definitely go back and change it if you do, but I thought it might be kind of Daryl-ish to blow up like that. I mean, living with someone like Merle, you're definitely gonna get into fights with each other, right?

Anywhoozles... many many thanks to the reviewers and the readers! You guys rock :D

Nelle07: Thanks! How do you like the season so far?

WolfAngel75: Aw thanks! Sorry it took so long :/

Sami: Haha why thank you! I'm glad you're enjoying it even if it did just start!

Silver: I try! :D Really glad you liked it!

Grim1989: Hahahah maybe I could post a chappie in his POV so we know exactly what he thought about it haha... Do you like the new season? I only saw the first two episodes so far so don't tell me what happened!

gurl3677: Oh definitely! I don't usually abandon stories; I just put them on hold when school gets too hectic lol

Aku15: Thanks! I like her too! She's pretty cool :D

Yodes: Of course :)

xXx Tinkes xXx: Thank you so much! I was hoping it was progressing nicely! Hopefully this didn't go too far from that... I really appreciate it; I'm soo glad you're liking it!

Aurora528: Why thank you! Yeah, I haven't decided just yet what I'm gonna do... hopefully something cool haha

Nightbloodwolf: Thanks! Your review prompted me to update; that and the new season haha. So glad you're liking it and hopefully you'll like this interaction...


	6. Atlanta

Surprise! Another update! Crazy, huh? I couldn't resist! I'm sure there won't be another one for a while but I just had to write another one :D

Chapter Five: Atlanta

"_Hmm, wonder what that button's name is," Danny smirked, hauling himself to his feet and strolling back towards camp. Tory and Riley were quick to follow, disappearing from sight and leaving me to myself. _

_I knew exactly what that button's name was. I guess the question was; why?_

I had been in the quarry for around half an hour, though I had long since ditched my shorts and tank top, opting for my underwear and bra. Eh, underwear, bikini, same thing. Merle hadn't tried to approach me so I assumed Shane and Morales got him under control and he was stewing in his tent. That or he had gone out into the woods to blow off some steam.

Either way, I had been left to myself at least until someone took a running dive into the water beside me. Swiping the water from my face, I turned to see Jake surfacing with a broad grin on his face. He swam at me, hugging me tightly around the neck.

"What's up, buddy?" I laughed, hugging him back and letting his swim away, making laps around me in the water.

"Lori an' Jacqui are real worried about you," he informed me seriously, his emerald eyes wide and bright, "they don't think it's a good idea for you to hang around Daryl so much…"

Brow furrowed, I glanced back to the campsite, where everyone but Lori, Shane, Ed, Merle, and Daryl were milling about, doing some chore or another. They all seemed to be having a grand time, here at the end of the world. If Lori and Shane were there, and not out "collecting firewood", they'd be in on it, too. But out of the three outcasts, I had to admit that one was getting a bad rap.

Yes, Daryl Dixon had a temper. Yes, he could be an ignorant hillbilly, especially going hand in hand with the temper thing. How many times had I heard him call Glenn a chink? How many times had Glenn told him he was Korean and how many more times had Daryl ignored him? He was brash and blunt, but quiet, keeping to himself for the most part.

Either Jacqui and Lori ignored the fact that I got along with Daryl pretty well – he was never rude or insulting (okay, maybe occasionally, but not strictly on purpose) – or they were worried because of my closeness to him putting me closer to Merle.

Believe me, I had considered it before, but I wasn't going to shun Daryl because his brother was an ass. No guilt by association for Cat, thank you.

"Are you worried?" I questioned, eyeing my brother curiously, "about me an' Daryl being friends?"

He was floating on his back, staring at the mass of white clouds that had gathered overhead. His mouth turned down quickly, a shrug, before he answered easily, "Nope. I don't like Merle -," _you and me both, buddy_, "-but Daryl stood up for you. So I don't think he's too bad…"

"Well you're just biased cuz _I_ like him," I laughed, shoving a wave of water at him, causing him to cry out and flail about, "but I'm glad you do; everybody could use someone right now…"

Silence had fallen over the two of us, though we occasionally splashed water at one another or tried to dunk the other. The others' voices could be heard from the campsite, drifting over the water and just far enough away to keep from being intelligible. Still, I didn't mind; being here with my brother gave me time to think. About anything and everything. The walkers, the camp, my friends, new and old… my family.

I think Jake was thinking along the same lines, as he sighed suddenly. He looked up under my scrutinizing gaze, and pouted, "I wish… I wish you didn't have to shoot mama and daddy…"

My heart dropped to my stomach and I lowered my gaze to the crystalline water, more than a little ashamed. Dunking my pruny, trembling hands under the water, I straightened and offered him a sad smile, "So do I, little man…"

"I know you said they wouldn't get better… are you sure?" he inquired softly, innocently… naively. I had to wonder how long he had been thinking about this, trying to bring it up to me. He understood the seriousness of it all; he was older than Sophia, Carl, Eliza, and Louis so he had seen his fair share of zombie video games and understood the concept well enough. But watching your sister shoot down your parents…

"I'm sure, bud," I swallowed the tremor in my voice, biting my lip to keep my emotions in check, "if there was a _single chance_ that they'd've been okay, I never woulda done it, you know that…" Dad's face had been mauled, the skin stripped from his arms and one leg… but he still came at us, muscles and tendons bare as he reached for Jake. I wasn't sure if Mama had been bitten; she was almost completely disemboweled, probably by Dad; still, I made sure she wouldn't be waking up.

Bile rose to my throat as my mind focused on the last time I saw them; usually I kept myself busy, distracting myself to keep from thinking about them. I hadn't been lying when I told Daryl I had nightmares; every night, constantly. If I woke up with a start, the minute I drifted off again they came. Jake was no better but at least for him there wasn't that guilt of actually shooting what used to be your parents.

"I know," Jake sighed, breaking me from my reverie, his lower lip quivering. I quickly swam to his side, hugging him and stating, "I'll never let that happen to you, Jake… I'll always be here for you, no matter what, 'kay? Mama and Daddy are okay, now; they're not out there, they're not hurtin' anymore…"

Jake sobbed into my hair and I was thankful for the water beading down my face, masking my own tears. He would never know how awful I felt; how much I wanted to crawl into a hole and just give up every time I thought about them. But I wouldn't. I couldn't, not with him depending on me. I would get better, eventually; how or when, I didn't know, but someday… it couldn't come soon enough if you asked me.

"Hey," I pulled away from him, drying his face, "we got each other, right? An' these people," I glanced back toward the camp, "they're good people. As long as we're with them, we'll be okay, too…"

"I love you, Cat," he whimpered, yawning slightly – a Dalton family trait; getting bone tired after crying.

"I love you, too, Jake," I replied, kissing his forehead and sighing silently. I found myself wishing things could be different; didn't we all?

"Cat, Jake."

We turned and watched Andrea appear beside the enormous boulder at the top of the hill. She gave us a smile, jerking a thumb back toward camp, "Shane's back; he wants to have that meeting; the one about going to Atlanta."

"Thanks," I replied, nodding and nudging Jake toward the shore, "go on; go find Mike and the others an' I'll be right out."

Andrea must have been able to tell I was about ready to break down, because as Jake clambered ashore, she gave me a nod and draped her arm around my brother's shoulder, an exaggerated smile on her face, "Did ya have fun?" She led him back toward camp and left me to myself once more.

_Do not break down,_ I urged myself, but even still, as I repeated the words in my head, tears welled up in my eyes and a hard, painful lump formed in my throat. I willed myself to think of something else, _anything else_, but once the image had returned, it wasn't leaving too easily.

I turned from trying not to break down – dry heaving and silent sobs wracked my body for a good five minutes – to repeating to myself that I _had_ to do it. If I didn't, not only would Jake and I be killed and eaten, but Mike would have, too… If not for what I had done, none of us would be there. And being there was a helluva lot better than being out there, one of those mindless monsters that had destroyed our lives. I preferred thinking that our parents were proud of us for making it so long in such a horrible world.

"Okay, okay, okay," I sniffled, taking deep, steadying breaths, "alright, okay… You're okay, Cat, you're okay… Jake's okay; the kids are okay; you're okay. That's all that matters… We're okay…"

Swallowing a few times for good measure, I slowly made my way toward shore, clearing my thoughts of anything parent-related and making certain that I wouldn't drop to the ground and start wailing once I got to the little RV-centered powwow.

Since I didn't have a towel, I simply climbed into my dry clothes; it honestly didn't matter if they got wet again. My hiker boots hadn't dried yet, though, so I picked them up, tucking my socks into them, and was about to head back toward camp when Daryl came stalking out of the woods.

"Cat," he commented gruffly, eyeing me with a mix of concern and awkwardness. Obviously he wasn't used to consoling people; he probably hadn't done it more than once or twice – if that – in his life.

Flushing embarrassedly, I frowned, "You saw that?" Having a fit chest deep in water wasn't something you wanted to get caught doing by anyone, but the fact that it was Daryl seemed to make the situation worse.

"What?" he queried seriously, eyes narrowed, "you soakin' wet in your underwear?" He smirked suddenly, dangerously, one that was quickly replaced with an irritated scowl as Dale's voice rang out, "Cat? C'mon, Cat, we need to talk about Atlanta!"

The old man came into view, looking between Daryl and me with brows high on his forehead, waving us forward, "Well? Come on, you two…"

Daryl didn't wait for me – I hadn't expected him to – and headed back toward camp, the crossbow slung haphazardly over his shoulder. My stomach flipped and the slightest of grins flitted across my lips before disappearing as the powwow came into view; after seeing me at my worst, Daryl Dixon had the decency – if you could call it that – to spare me any chagrin by only commenting on my underwear.

What a strange and crazy world it was if I was beyond grateful for that last part.

Everyone, including Merle, had gathered around the campfire and radio beside the RV, waiting to hear what Shane had to say. I was almost positive that he wasn't going to go with my idea of heading into any smaller towns – if there were any around, anyway.

The Dixon brothers stood side by side, Merle patting his brother's shoulder with a large hand and muttering something into his ear. The latter smirked, letting out a slight, huffing laugh, and shaking his head. Well, thankfully they had gotten over their scuffle quickly; though I couldn't say those bruises lining Merle's jaw would go away so easily.

I took a seat on a log beside Jim, returning the small smile he sent my way, before looking up to Shane, who was slinging his shotgun over his shoulder. Taking a quick look around, he nodded; we were all there.

"Right, so, we still got some supplies left," he started, fists on his hips, his voice loud, carrying across clearing, "but not enough to make it more than a couple o' days. Cat's stuff kept us from havin' to do this a week ago," he sent me a grateful smile, "but we gotta go back in."

Almost on cue, a murmur rose through the group, disagreement with Shane's plan evident in their tones.

"Now, I know it's not somethin' any of us are lookin' forward to," he stated, raising a hand, "hell, I ain't sendin' anyone in there who doesn't wanna go. But we gotta face facts; unless we get some more supplies, we aren't gonna last very long out here."

That got everyone's attention; no one wanted to resort to cannibalism, right? So buck up and go out there.

That was the gist of the argument, right?

"So who's going?" Lori inquired, dark eyes running over the crowd of us. She looked worriedly over Shane before turning to Carl, who looked just as nervous at the prospect of losing his father's best friend.

"I'll go," Morales offered, earning a look from his wife that was a cross between horror and resignation. Morales was a good man and he would help the group in whatever way he could; he must have been like that pre-walker invasion or she wouldn't have been so yielding.

"Yeah, I'll go, too," T-Dog offered, his face set in determination, sharing a nod with Morales, "I got your back."

"I'm coming," Andrea raised her hand, earning a gasp from her sister, who immediately set to work trying to persuade her _not_ to go. Dale didn't look too pleased either, but Amy was doing enough bargaining for the both of them.

"Well, sounds like a good time," Merle clapped his hands together, rubbing them vigorously, offering everyone a cheery grin – which most observed warily, "an' I like shootin' me some walkers… Hell, who knows, maybe I'll find a broad; a nice piece of ass with big ol'…"

"All those nice pieces of ass were the first to go," Andrea mused, giving him an unimpressed look when he turned his dark eyes on her.

"Yeah, somethin' tells me that _broads_ with your impressive specifications weren't all that high on the IQ scale," I added, earning a slight snort from Daryl and a chuckle from Shane and Morales.

"Just cuz _you_ don't fit my specifications don't mean I won't make an exception, kitten," Merle retorted, a leering grin on his face, "don't you worry 'bout that."

Before either Daryl or I could react – as the dirty blond hunter tensed up almost immediately – Shane shook his head, "Doubt you want any more bruises, Merle; am I right?"

He simply chuckled darkly and went to get his weapons, leaving the rest of us a little more at ease.

"Right, so, we got Morales, T-Dog, Andrea, Merle…," Shane nodded, rubbing his jaw and looking imploringly to Glenn, "got a favor to ask of you…"

Glenn grimaced but nodded, "I can lead 'em in…"

"Good, good," Shane nodded, looking around once more, "anyone else?"

Jacqui frowned slightly but stepped forward, nodding and raising her hand, "I'll go, too…"

"And me," Danny patted my shoulder as he stepped past me, toward Shane. Pointedly ignoring my gaping, scowling self and Amy's second gasp, he punched Glenn in the shoulder, earning a mock glare from his friend.

"You're not going?" Dale inquired curiously, brow furrowed as he eyed the former sheriff's deputy.

"I think they'll be alright," he replied, running a hand through his black hair, watching the six move away from the campfire to prepare for their harrowing trek into the city, "anyway; we can't have too many away from camp; we got the kids, the women…"

At the glare from my girls and I – not to mention Lori and Amy – shot him, he quickly reiterated, "… All of us… gotta make sure the camp is safe. Daryl's not goin', right?" A quick glance in his direction and a nod from the hunter had him turning back to Dale, "Don't worry; they're gonna be fine… An; so are we… I'm gonna go help them get ready."

With the group quickly dispersing, I chanced a glance at Daryl. He was staring at me, his light blue eyes penetrating, and we shared a silent conversation. We would go prep our family before they went on their dangerous journey. Maybe we would talk about the quarry, but probably not. Maybe we would find a way for me to do some fishing or maybe we wouldn't talk again that night.

Offering him a small smile, I turned and made my way toward Danny, where Tory and Riley were already hounding him about volunteering. To them, he was like the gangly, sort of geeky, sort of cool brother that they kind of didn't want to be seen in public with but had a whole lot of fun with.

Danny looked up as I approached and raised his hand, "Before you say anything, Cat, lemme say this. I want to help. I think I'll be useful to them; I'm fast and know my way around the city. Me an' Glenn will stick together and the others won't let anything happen to us, I promise. I need to start taking some responsibility, you know?"

Brows high, I glanced at Tory and Riley, both of whom looked semi-surprised at his speech, before I shot him a grin, "How long were you planning that out?"

"When Shane said we needed a group," he replied sheepishly.

Laughing, I hugged him, "I know you'll be okay. I won't stop you, cuz I know how badly you want to do this… Just, make sure you don't get killed or I'll punch you in the face."

"You always resort to violence," he grinned, shaking his head, "jeez, kitkat, who _won't_ feel your wrath?"

"You better hope to God it's not you," Riley replied dryly, folding her arms across her chest and staring up at him, "cuz you get another threat from me…"

"And me," Tory chimed in, shooting him what she assumed was a menacing glare. She looked like she was going to puke.

"And us!" Mike scowled at Danny, before breaking into a smile and hugging him. Jake was short to follow, and as I watched the kids, I couldn't help but be proud of them. Each one had gone through the most horrifying experience of their lives and lived to tell about it. They might have been a little worse for the wear – it wasn't just Jake and I that had our fair share of troubling dreams – but we had survived.

"Right, well, better head out so you can make it before dark," Shane announced, handing Morales an empty bag for supplies, "try an' radio us when you get there an' when you're leavin'… Let us know how everything goes, alright?"

He tossed Glenn a walkie-talkie and those staying exchanged parting words or looks with those leaving. We had all survived. And hopefully they would all make it back in one piece and live to tell us about it. Because who knew what the hell they would find in that godforsaken city…

As the group climbed into their cars and headed down the long, dirt trail toward the highway, Daryl appeared at my side, silently watching. For his sake, I even hoped Merle would come back safe and sound.

Sooo! Whatchoo think? I would certainly appreciate reviews – just like I appreciate all those who have been reviewing :D But new reviewers are nice too haha… So, I'm caught up now on the new season… OMG! WHATTTT? Haha but I predicted it… curse my being right lol…

So thank ya toooo:

_**Katwigg90:**__ Thanks so much! Yeah, I'm really glad everyone liked it; I didn't want to change it haha. Yeah, that's what I thought too. If he was attracted to her he wouldn't let Merle treat her like that. That's basically exactly the same view I have of him!_

_**Vashti415:**__ Thanks! Haha I loved that too :D_

_**Nelle07:**__ Yeah, Shane's getting ridiculous! Very happy to see more Daryl… I thought his accent sounded pretty similar to in the first season but maybe it's just weird to hear cuz he isn't so mad? Maybe when he's upset it's thicker haha_

_**Nightbloodwolf:**__ Yay! Thank you so much! I'm glad he was in character; I was worried! There wasn't much Daryl/Cat interaction but I think the Jake/Cat interaction made up for it. Cuz that needed to be done lol… But there will be more Daryl/Cat alone time soon I promise! I'm trying to stick subtle hints in there; his staring, her stomach, his smirk…_

_**Gaarsaku4ever:**__ Thanks so much! Hopefully you enjoy this one too!_

_**Sheena:**__ Thanks! I'm glad you loved it!_

_**Dalonega Noquisi:**__ Thank you! Hopefully this was a quick enough update :D I'm glad you like Cat; I didn't want her to be too badass; gotta have some heart in there lol_

_**TeamGodric:**__ Thanks! It's actually not as hard as I thought it would be to write him.. I mean, sometimes I'm like, ehh that's not him… but other times I'm like, oh that's totally Daryl haha… And I'm glad you like Cat too!_

_**Aurora528:**__ Haha me too! I'm glad you think so; I'm trying very hard to keep him in character. I don't want him to turn out sappy or too much of an asshole. Hopefully I can keep that up! Let me know what you think :D_

_**Grim1989:**__ Yeah, he definitely has! That last episode… whoa… that's all there is to say haha! I would do the same too! I'm glad you think he's still in character!_

_**xXx Tinkies xXx: **__Thanks! It's something I could see him doing; if my brother acted like that, I would get pissed too haha… Thank you so much and hopefully you like this chapter too!_


	7. Popular

Okay, so the scene with Daryl and Carol… adorable! It was so sweet; I knew he had it in him ;D Oh, and apparently he was at the Warner Theater in Erie, PA, which is where I live, around Halloween… and I had no idea… I was SO PISSED!

Disclaimer: I don't own the show but every time I see the anything about it, I have to add another chapter =P

Chapter Six: Popular

_He tossed Glenn a walkie-talkie and those staying exchanged parting words or looks with those leaving. We had all survived. And hopefully they would all make it back in one piece and live to tell us about it. Because who knew what the hell they would find in that godforsaken city…_

_As the group climbed into their cars and headed down the long, dirt trail toward the highway, Daryl appeared at my side, silently watching. For his sake, I even hoped Merle would come back safe and sound._

"Alright, so yesterday I told you about Lexington and Concord," I stated, perched on an awkwardly hacked stump, looking over the small group of kids, who all watched me attentively, almost relieved to be learning again – bet they never thought they would miss school…, "anyone wanna run it back by me? Or anything about it?"

They looked uncertainly between each other, before Sophia tentatively raised her hand. So polite…

"Yup; whatcha got, Soph?" I queried, leaning back and watching the young girl bite her lip, nervously glancing back to where her father was lording over her mother. I wanted to yell out _don't worry about that bastard!_ but refrained, simply offering her an encouraging smile.

"Well, there was the British one; Gage?" At my nod she continued, more confident but still quiet, "when he was takin' 'em back, toward Boston?, the Americans followed 'em…"

"Great job," I smiled, ruffling her hair, earning a tentative smile. I never expected to teach kids – honestly, my goal had been continuing on for a Master's or doctorate, probably teaching college students or working in a museum – but I really was enjoying it. Turning to the others, I queried, "Okay, so what happened when the colonists followed Gage's men back toward Boston?"

Jake's hand shot up and he exclaimed, "They hid behind trees and shot them!" He took aim with an imaginary rifle and shot down invisible redcoats.

"Sounds like my kinda party."

Eliza, Louis, Mike, and Sophia eyed Daryl warily – they had only seen the brawling, ill-tempered Daryl, but Jake just studied him with slight interest – as he stalked up behind me. He had a slight grin on his face, wiping his muddied hands on his pants, looking over the kids with relative indifference.

"Know what?" I mused, giving him a once over that had him shifting his weight from one foot to the other, "I can absolutely see you bein' 1770s militia… maybe not in the breeches and tri-corner hat -," he snorted in disgust as I joked, "but yeah, I can see you pickin' off those damn lobsterbacks one by one… Stick it to the damn man…"

"Hell yeah; screw the damn British," he snorted, "hell, before we found the rest of this ragtag group, that's what me an' Merle were doin' to them walkers…" He hoisted his crossbow to his shoulder and took aim at the treeline.

Letting out a humming laugh, I turned to the kids, who were looking between the two of us with the utmost interest. I don't know who was more surprised about Daryl actually knowing what a lobsterback was, me or the kids. Brows high on my forehead, I clicked my tongue, "Okay, um, don't use the words hell and damn; they're bad and I don't want anyone jumping me for teaching them to you…"

Daryl let out a scoffing laugh before pointing a threatening finger at the kids, brows raised, "Better listen to her; if ya don't yer gonna get stupid."

Biting my tongue to keep from laughing at the horrified, affronted looks on the children's faces, I gave him a disparaging look, "Don't tell them that, Daryl…" Of course the wink and sidelong grin I shot him belied my any irritation in my voice, earning a half grin from the belligerent hillbilly.

"Yeah, well, 't's true…," he gave the kids another warning glower before stalking off toward his tent.

Keeping my amusement to a minimum, I turned and quirked a brow, "Right, so, the road back to Boston…"

WDWDWDWDWDWDWDWD

I had to admit, despite being worried about the others, it was nice not to have Merle breathing down my neck. After the initial discomfort of seeing Merle head off into a hornet's nest, Daryl didn't have a single concern about his brother, either. No one mentioned it, but he seemed pretty at ease with the whole situation, like it was just a walk in the park for Merle. Hell, maybe it was.

The sun was high in the sky, making it around four if I had to guess, though some threatening gray clouds began covering the pale blue. Pushing myself off from the stump, stretching my arms high over my head, I smiled, "Alright, guys, you're good for today."

Grinning broadly, the kids scattered, aside from Sophia, who tucked her papers into her pocket carefully and gave me a small 'thank you'. Smiling, I replied, "You're welcome, Fia."

With a brilliant smile, she took off toward her mom, carefully sidestepping her father (though fortunately he missed it, head tilted back and loud, rough snores filling the air), whipping out her notes and showing them to Carol. Her mother, quiet as ever, took them, looking over them with a proud smile. She turned slightly, shooting me a grateful smile, before Ed snorted loudly and sent them both scurrying toward the tent.

Sighing slightly at the sight, I turned my attention to the trio of girls approaching me. Riley and Tory didn't look too happy and Amy looked like a girl on a mission, a deep scowl on her face.

_Fantastic…,_ I blew a strand of hair from my face and kept my face neutral, though I couldn't help but be ready for a confrontation. Amy stopped just before me, fists on her hips, "Why did you let him go?"

Jerking my head toward the RV, I started toward the vehicle; honestly, I knew this had been coming. Amy and Danny were too close to be anything but together. Not to mention she had been shooting me death glares since the group left.

"Cat, why did you let him go?" she queried once more, jogging in front of me, tense and stoic, and giving me what she thought was an intimidating glower.

"Because I don't control him, Amy; anything I would've said wouldn't have had any effect on him," I replied slowly; I had already gone over this with Tory, Riley, Jake, and Mike, none of whom were all that enthusiastic about me letting Danny go off "by himself", "he's a seventeen year old guy; he knows everything and he thinks he knows what he's doing."

"You didn't even try," Amy frowned, eyes tired and worried, running a hand through her hair, "I tried with Andrea, but she's stubborn as hell…"

Riley touched her arm and muttered, "C'mon, we told you it wasn't her fault… Danny decided he wanted to go."

"How do you think he would feel if we made him stay?" Tory inquired, arms folded across her chest, "he would have been a pissy little brat…"

Amy let out a reluctant laugh and I put on my most placating smile, "He's gonna be fine and so is your sister. Just think of it like that; Andrea's stubborn, Danny's stubborn. But they're stubborn enough to get back here to you; I promise you that."

Her hostile attitude dropped almost immediately and her shoulders slumped. Chin quivering, she muttered brokenly, "I'm just worried about them, both… Andrea's the only one I've got left…"

Riley and Tory hugged her, a third bestie in their clique, and ushered her away, the former sending me an apologetic smile. Lips pursed, I blinked, shaking my head and turning, running headlong into Shane. Stumbling back slightly, I flailed, only to have one arm caught and myself steadied by the ex-deputy.

He let out an apologetic laugh, glancing toward the girls, "What was that all about?"

Leave it to Shane to be on top of things, eyes everywhere. His look was one of concern, making certain that there wasn't any real friction going on around camp. With Merle gone, there hadn't been anyone to watch over aside from Ed, but even still, no one wanted to see me and Amy have a brawl (well, maybe the guys, but that was neither here nor there).

"She's just worried about her sister," I responded, shrugging, "and Danny…"

Brows high, he gave me a sly grin, "Danny, huh? Well, as long as she's not too torn up…"

"Eh," I grimaced, "bad choice of words, Shane… but no, I think she'll be alright. An' I think the other's will be alright, too."

"Yeah, me too," he nodded, glancing around curiously, before leaning down, quietly questioning, "how's Dixon doin'?"

That one surprised me… Jeez, today was just full of surprises, wasn't it? No one usually worried about Daryl, aside from me, and no one _ever_ asked about him. Shane seemed to realize this and let out a slight, 'yeah, yeah', though his gaze was still prodding.

"He's good," I answered, nodding, scanning the area for the youngest Dixon, "hasn't really said anything about Merle, except that he's gonna be bragging a whole helluva lot about the number of walkers he's gonna take down."

"Sounds like Merle," Shane replied dryly, "how you feelin' about good ol' Merle, by the way? We've been trying to keep him away from you…"

_We?_ Hmm, Daryl and I would have to talk about that; I'm sure he'd get a kick out of it. Anyway, I gave him an 'are you kidding me?' look, earning a grin in response.

"Yeah, that's what I thought," he nodded, rubbing the back of his neck and giving me a reassuring smile, "don' worry about him, okay? Nothin's gonna happen, 'specially not if Dixon has anything to say about it, I think…"

At my silence, he shot me a final grin before heading off toward the woods, his shotgun propped up on his shoulder. Maybe this time he was going scouting, not meeting Lori for a clandestine tryst. I was sick and tired of watching them skulk away when they thought no one was looking; was it _really_ just me and Daryl who knew about it?

"Hey, there, Cat."

Wasn't I the popular one today? It was driving me nuts; I hadn't been an incredibly unsociable person before the invasion, but I was the kind of person who needed my space, and being bombarded by seemingly everyone in camp left me a little more than frustrated. Not to mention, the one person I had been looking for – increasingly, it seemed – was nowhere to be found. Turning, I still smiled warmly at Jim, "Hey, there, Jim; how've you been?"

Jim and I hadn't talked all that much in our time up in the mountains, but he was always very polite to me and the kids. He helped Dale out with the RV, looked for firewood (and not in the same sense as Lori *coughcough*), and chatted in that amiable, easy way with everyone. I knew Jacqui was especially fond of him.

"Oh, I'm not doin' too bad," he replied with a small, polite smile, "have you seen Dale? Morales and I found a boat the other day; it's pretty banged up but Dale's been looking for somethin' in his RV to fix it back up."

"Oh, that's great!" I exclaimed, pointing toward the water's edge, "he's down there with Amy; been keepin' her company since Andrea left."

He thanked me and made his way to the shoreline, giving me a small wave over his shoulder. Heading over to my tent, I slipped inside and grabbed my crossbow, hoisting it over my shoulder and grabbing my backpack.

Heading outside, I made my way to the Dixon tent, raising my hand and letting it fall awkwardly to my side, "Hey, Daryl…"

I paused, waiting, until I heard a slight grunt from inside. Peering inside, I smirked at the sight of him sprawled out on his back, one arm over his face and one over his chest. His breathing was normal, not slow and even; I had obviously woken him up.

"Sorry; I didn't know you were sleeping," I apologized, hovering gawkily in the threshold, before letting the flap fall back down, hitching my backpack over one shoulder.

"Well, what'd you want?" His voice was deep, rough with sleep, and when I peeked back inside, he was eyeing me from under an arm.

"Just wanted to see if you wanted to join me for a stroll in the woods," I replied with a sheepish smile, "actually, I wanted to maybe try and hunt…"

"I know you're small, an' all, but did ya know you're noisy as hell?" he queried idly, still lazily laying spread-eagle on the floor.

Laughing, I dropped to the ground, ignoring the sharp, dirty-male smell and rested my crossbow on my lap, "Hmm, well obviously I wasn't loud enough to distract _some_ people…"

"They're like damn rabbits…," Daryl groaned, rubbing his face in annoyance, "I am so frickin' tired of seein' Walsh's bare ass…"

Letting out a loud laugh, I covered my eyes, "Oh my God; how many times have you caught them?"

He glowered at me as I tried to stifle my laughter, pushing himself up from his sleeping bag, "I don't keep track… More times than I'd like, that's for damn sure…"

"Well you'll be happy to know that big bad Shane is on watch right now and Lori's down with the rest of the gang at the lake," I replied, leaning back and propping myself up on my hands, "so you wouldn't have to see Shane's bare ass… though it _is_ probably pretty nice…"

His glower turned dark (because for some reason even when he scowled at me, it was never angry) and he dropped himself back onto his sleeping bag. Rolling onto his stomach, he waved me off when I tried to question him.

Baffled, I crawled over to him, crouching low and getting in his face, "Daryl?"

"Prob'ly show you if you asked," he growled, "hell… prob'ly wouldn't have to ask…"

Blinking, I dropped to my stomach, facing him, and replied, "I was joking, Daryl. The whole 'screwing my best friend's recently widowed wife' isn't really what I look for in a guy…"

He didn't reply, leaving me to bite my lip, frowning. His irritation shouldn't have affected me so badly, but I found myself desperately hoping he'd forget the whole thing. God, one stupid joke about Shane's ass… If I hadn't been so worried about the whole thing, I would have found his jealousy endearing.

Licking my lips, I sighed and stood, climbing out of the tent and earning the weirdest look from Dale and Jim as they made their way to the RV. Waving a 'don't ask' hand, I stalked toward the quarry.

Lori, Miranda, and the girls greeted me with bright smiles – aside from Amy, who offered me a tentative one (at least she wasn't glaring again) – and the kids beckoned me toward the water.

"No way, guys, I'm just gonna chill on this rock," I replied, draping myself lazily over the rock, abandoning my crossbow and backpack, "maybe take a nap…"

"_Pleaaase_, Cat?" Jake was probably giving me his best puppy dog look, one that I would have denied even if I had my eyes open, "you don't wanna play with us?"

"I can't _hear_ you," I replied dryly, letting my limbs fall over the rock's edge, breathing heavily and trying not to dwell on Daryl. Part of me was pissed that he took the joke seriously and made such a big deal over it; the other part of me was desperate to make things right with him.

"What were you doing in Daryl's tent, Cat?"

Cracking an eye open, I peered at Tory, who was staring down at me with a smug smile, while Riley looked somewhat disturbed. Lori, Miranda, and Carol exchanged wide-eyed looks (like _someone_ had any room to talk), and Amy just gaped, thoroughly disgusted.

Riling, I quirked a brow, scoffing, "Glad you think there's some crazy scandal going on to keep your life more interesting, but not a thing…" I snapped my eyes shut to avoid looking at Lori at the scandal bit, frowning at how bitchy I sounded.

"How do you feel about him, since we're talkin' about it?" Lori queried, obviously unconcerned at my irritation. It wasn't like no one had noticed my closeness to Daryl, and his fighting his own brother because he made one too many crude remark had everyone's interest piqued. I'm surprised they hadn't ganged up on me earlier about it…

"Guys, maybe she doesn't want to talk about it," Carol suggested, earning an appreciative smile from me.

"There's nothing to talk about, ladies," I affirmed with an easy laugh, my stomach rolling anxiously at the thought, "but as soon as I hear any sweet gossip, I'll let you know."

"Like the gossip between Amy and Danny?" Miranda questioned, giggling, drilling the blonde about everything that had happened between her and my little Danny since our arrival. Half listening, I kept the juiciest (and most disturbing) details for future teasing and found myself drifting off in the warm sunlight.

"Cat."

Starting, I hit my head on the rock and groaned, glaring up at Daryl, who had his crossbow resting on his shoulder. He gave me a smug smirk, like I deserved bashing my head against a friggin' boulder.

"Asshole," I rolled onto my feet and regarded him curiously. Fifteen minutes ago he had been in a snit and now he was cool? Well, shouldn't have surprised me; his temperament was a light switch; anything could turn it on or off in an instant.

"Hell, thought you knew that," he mused, jerking his chin toward my stuff, "thought you wanted to hunt? Ain't got all day, girl…"

Lips pursed, I hid my grin, scooping up my backpack and crossbow and pointedly ignoring the intrigued looks the ladies were exchanging behind my back. I'd be in for the Spanish Inquisition when I got back...

WDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDDW

So, please let me know what you think! I was worried about making Daryl jealous, but I think it's him… I mean, he's got a quick temper and who really wants to hear the person you're into talk about someone else's ass? Haha; oh, all credit to talking about Shane's ass and Daryl's impression of it go to Grim1989!

Nelle07: haha oh yeah, there's gonna be more comments like that in the future ;D I was totally thinking swimming scene sometime in the future…

Quicksilvermad: Thanks so much! Glad you're liking it :D

Dalonega Noquisi: :D

Aurora528: Thanks! I know; I've got to start making them longer =/ Ah I'm so glad! That's what I thought with that scene :D Definitely gonna be more Daryl/Cat coming up, so I'm excited for that!

Ivycake101: Why thank you! Hopefully you like this chapter too!

Sheena: Thanks! Oh, that's why I'm shipping them off to the woods; gotta get some time together XD

Readergirl66: Thank you so much!

Spoiledrotten94: thanks!

xXx Tinkies xXx: ooh, exactly… They'll have some fun I think ;) I'm so glad you're enjoying it and hopefully this chappie will be just as good haha; I really appreciate the comments!

RedLil: woo! Thanks!

CrashingUpward: Here ya go! Lemme know what you think! =)

Immortalarmy: Thanks!


	8. Woods

Okay, soooo big things happen in this chapter and I don't know how I feel about it… I mean, I've been waiting for it, but I might want to rewrite it… I really need to know what you guys think about this one…

Disclaimer: I don't own _the Walking Dead_, but each episode gets better and better =D

Chapter Seven: Woods

_"Hell, thought you knew that," he mused, jerking his chin toward my stuff, "thought you wanted to hunt? Ain't got all day, girl…"_

_Lips pursed, I hid my grin, scooping up my backpack and crossbow and pointedly ignoring the intrigued looks the ladies were exchanging behind my back. I'd be in for the Spanish Inquisition when I got back..._

Wordlessly, Daryl and I slipped into the woods, the sounds from the quarry quickly dissipating through the branches, until all I could hear were our footfalls and the birds chirping overhead. At least some things didn't change; the forest was alive as ever, filled with all sorts of critters.

Unfortunately I would be putting a bolt through their heads… Or at least Daryl would be. I was fantastic against walkers – if I did say so myself – but they were big and plodding, occasionally taking off at you in a run but if you were far enough away, there was no question who was going to win that fight. But little chipmunks and bunnies… they were probably a little more difficult to get a hold of.

Careful not to let him notice, I peered at Daryl from the corner of my eye. He was facing forward, eyes moving to and fro, keen ears picking up every little noise. He didn't have his crossbow at the ready, probably because we were still too close to camp. Didn't want to accidentally shoot Carl, now did we? He was no tenser than usual, brow settled in a scowl against the bright light breaking through the canopy, back and shoulders taut. His stride was powerful but somehow his steps were quieter than mine.

He was like a tiger, big and powerful, stealthy and beautiful.

Stopping abruptly, I blinked, eyes wide. Okay, beautiful might not have been the best word – Daryl Dixon was definitely not that. He was gruff and dirty as humanly possible, foul-mouthed and rough around the edges. _Edges?_ I quirked a brow, _rough all over…_

But still. He had an unexplainable allure to me; he was protective and surprisingly easy – okay, maybe eas_ier_ – to talk to compared to most guys I had known pre-zombie invasion. He was attractive; don't get me wrong, he wasn't Gerard Butler status but who really was? There was something indescribably… sexy… about him.

_Oh shit,_ I blinked rapidly, pressing a hand to my forehead, _when did _that_ happen?_ I think it had been building. Slowly at first, with an almost unwilling friendship and then… _oh damn…_

"Cat!"

Stopping suddenly, I found myself face to face with a tree. Face flushed, I glanced behind me to find Daryl staring at me with a confused, unimpressed frown on his face, one arm hanging loosely at his side, his crossbow leaning against his shoulder. He stalked up to me, grabbing my arm and pulling me roughly away from the tree, as though either it or I was going to attack one another.

"The hell were you thinking?" he growled angrily, shooting a scowl between the tree and I; I don't know which he was more pissed at.

"I… just got caught up in my head, Daryl; it's no big deal," I smirked easily, hoping the blush would disappear quickly, "no harm, no foul; well, except maybe a broken nose, but the tree'd be okay…"

Lips pursed in annoyance, he pulled me further into the woods, "Can't hunt if you're too busy thinkin'… Gotta have a clear head, unless you planned on knockin' the squirrels outta the tree by runnin' into it…"

"Could've worked," I mused, earning a reluctant smirk from the muscular hillbilly. Wincing, I fought to keep the side of me that was just recently aware of my attraction toward Daryl out of the picture. I couldn't even imagine telling him that… oh God, knowing him, he'd retreat into the woods and never come back out.

"Here's as good a place as any," he stopped, glancing toward the canopy and releasing my arm, quickly shooting me a grin, "don't go wanderin' toward anythin' else; there's some poison ivy an' hornets' nests out here…"

"Ha ha," I lifted an unmoved eyebrow, crossbow aimed harmlessly toward the ground as he hoisted his up, "let me guess; I get to watch the master at work?"

"Hell yeah; maybe you'll learn somethin'," he replied, amused, before falling silent and studying the forest around us. It didn't take long for him to crouch low to the ground, crossbow ready and waiting, and stalk forward into the brush.

He wasn't too far from me that I couldn't see what he was doing, so I scanned the area for any sign of his prey. Unbidden images of what it would be like to be on the other end of that hunter's gaze came to mind and I scowled, clearing my mind and focusing on the task at hand. It would be mortifying to have to explain to him why I was getting all hot and bothered in the middle of a forest surrounded by birds and chipmunks.

There. A rabbit was nibbling innocently on some clover, black eyes focused on its task. Nose wrinkled, I watched Daryl creep closer to the critter, hardly making enough noise to draw its attention. As much as I liked rabbits – and any animal, really – and didn't want to see them at the end of a crossbow bolt, I much preferred keeping up my strength on the off chance walkers found us out here in the middle of nowhere.

Refusing to move for fear of drawing the animal's attention, I watched Daryl ready his bow and take aim. The bolt cut through the air and clean into the rabbit; it never stood a chance. He stood, a grin on his face, and strode forward, cleanly removing the bolt and wiping it off with a handkerchief. He grabbed the limp animal by its hind legs and carried it over to me, holding it out.

With an unenthusiastic smile, I gingerly accepted the rabbit and looked it over. It was heavier than it had looked, though its stare was as blank as before.

"It ain't gonna bite," Daryl mused, letting out a snort, before turning back toward the expanse of wilderness ahead of us.

"I know that," I snapped, earning a mocking grin from the redneck, following him deeper into the forest, "doesn't mean I have to like toting a bleeding rabbit all over the place."

"Didja have a bunny back up north?" he jeered, clearly getting a kick out of the whole Cat-hates-dead-animals aspect of this trip, "stupid fluffy thing in a cage in the backyard?"

"Actually, he was a seventy pound black shepherd named Chase," I replied casually, frowning at the thought, "I wanted to take him with us on vacation; least I woulda known what happened to him."

"Prob'ly out there somewhere," Daryl replied, eyes darting to me in somewhat of an apology, "most animals aren't stupid enough t' get caught. Saw tons of 'em outrunnin' walkers when things first started…"

Humming in thanks, I ignored the dead weight – pun intended – in my hand and informed him, "Well, I'll hunt down squirrels, rabbits, deer; whatever. Just no dogs or cats if we come across any of 'em."

"Dogs, maybe, but no cats," he replied, scoffing.

"Oh, well, then we can't be friends anymore, Daryl, if you don't like cats," I laughed, brushing past him, keeping my eyes open for any more signs of life. Glancing over my shoulder, I shot him a mocking glare.

"Them little sons o' bitches are evil," he retorted, shaking his head slowly, sky eyes following my every step, "gimme a big ass dog any day."

Laughing, I shook my head, pausing and quickly turning in the direction of snapping twigs, Daryl's gaze a split second behind. Hitching my crossbow up, I mimicked his earlier actions; he only just caught the rabbit before it hit him square in the face.

Slowly creeping forward, I zeroed in on a monster of a squirrel. Seriously, it was like cat-sized. The gray fluffy tail twitched back and forth as it scratched through the underbrush in search of nuts.

Licking my lips, I peered down the crossbow and squeezed the trigger, stepping on a twig at the same time. The squirrel went down quicker than I expected and I stood quickly. Staring it down, I waited for it to stand or move, but it never did. Well, that was easier than I'd thought. Then again, if it would've made more noise before actually shooting, I never would have gotten it.

Jogging over to it, I stared down at it with a mixture of sympathy and accomplishment. Still, how was I to get the bolt out? Carrying a dead rabbit and pulling a fish out of the water was one thing… I didn't want to have to yank an arrow out of its little corpse.

Daryl strolled up beside me as I knelt beside the squirrel, commenting casually, "Not bad, for yer first try. Thing had to be deaf, though, t' not hear ya. Prob'ly old…"

"Thank you for ruining my triumph," I rolled my eyes, gingerly moving the end of the arrow, watching the squirrel move along with it. Eh…

Daryl sniffed impatiently, reaching past me and yanking the bolt out, cleaning it off and handing it over to me. As I grouped it together with the rest of my bolts, Daryl picked up the squirrel, weighing it in one hand, "Damn, heavy little sucker. Gonna have some good meat on him…" He turned to me with a roguish grin, "Wanna learn how to gut 'em?"

"Hmm, maybe after a few more kills," I replied with a laugh, sitting back on my haunches, wiping my hands together, "so, teacher, teach me… What'd I do wrong?"

He swept his eyes over me once more, lingering on my face for a moment before squinting out at the bustling treetops, "Well, ya weren't too bad 'til you hit the twig… Yer slow, that's good, an' steady… I can teach ya t' keep quiet. Things with the big stuff, the deer, they know yer there unless yer _real_ good."

"Are there any deer around?" I questioned, scanning the heavily wooded area for any sign of a big, tan mass, "want me to climb a tree and watch you work?"

"Can you even climb a tree?" he queried, zeroing in on my less than built arms as I covered them with a self-conscious scowl, "haven't seen any signs around. Maybe once we get further in I'll pick somethin' up."

We stood, Daryl carrying our catch, and continued on into the forest.

"What's something you miss from pre-walker world, Daryl?" I inquired curiously, glancing at the scruffy redneck; we never really talked about anything from our pasts and I always was curious about what his life was like before all this.

"Beer," he chuckled, after a moment's thought, rubbing his jaw and groaning, "damn; I really could use one right now…"

Snorting, I smirked, "Maybe to go with those squirrels?"

He shot me an apathetic look, shaking his head as I laughed, narrowing his eyes at me, "What do you want, then? Make-up and dresses?"

"Pie," I replied with a laugh, "I could _really_ go for some apple pie right now…"

He shook his head once more and snorted, "Pie an' beer…"

"Maybe they'll pick some up for us," I sighed wistfully, crossbow dangling from my hand. What I wouldn't give to be digging into some normal food instead of squirrels and canned veggies.

"Wouldn't count on that…," Daryl replied.

Humming, I frowned, shifting focus. Minding my step and scouring the ground for snake holes or poison ivy, I inquired carefully, "Mind if I ask you somethin' else?"

He grunted in assent, studying the animals in his grasp, never glancing back at me.

"Did you live with Merle before this all happened?" I asked, standing atop a log and surveying the area. I had no idea how far we were from the campsite – in all actuality, I was horrible with directions and probably couldn't even tell you which way we had come from.

"Sorta," he replied, back tense and a frown tugging on his lips as he peered back at me, "had my own place; when Merle wasn't in the joint he stayed with me, yeah. He was there when I came home from a job, told 'im about the walkers… Just went out from there, waitin' out in the woods 'til things calmed down a little."

"Merle being in jail doesn't surprise me," I shook my head, unimpressed, "how'd you come across the group?"

"On th' highway," he answered, taking aim with his crossbow and shooting, earning a sharp squeak from somewhere up ahead, before continuing as if nothing happened, "once th' walkers started tearin' through everyone, bunch of us just went off in th' other direction; got off the main road."

"And how long were you together before you guys found me and my crew?" I queried, jogging ahead to where his yellow-tailed bolt was sticking from a low branch in a fir, staring up at the impaled squirrel, fascinated.

He paused beside me, reaching up and pulling the squirrel and bolt from the branch, looking me over in confusion, "Not long, why?"

Shrugging, I gave him a half smile and replied, "Just glad you found us…"

Stepping out from under his intense gaze, I continued on my way, "We hadn't been together that long either; it was me, Jake, and Mike first. I came back to the hotel from gun shop nearby; there were walkers _everywhere._ I found Jake and Mike hiding from my dad; he got my mom and…" I cleared my throat and rid it of the lump rising there, "I took the kids and went to Walmart; that's where we found Danny. I tried to take Mike back to his parents, but they were already gone. Probably a day or two later, we found Riley and Tory."

Daryl was silent, trailing behind me, and I offered him an apologetic smile, "Not much longer til we found that guy…"

"How'd you get into it with him?" he questioned quietly, falling in step beside me, quirking a brow, "'sides th' whole… rape thing?"

"This guy was in the middle of the road and I was just gonna drive by until he called out for us to stop," I scowled at the visage of that rat bastard and his irritatingly clever idea, "he acted like he was hurt and I couldn't just leave him there. Even if he was gonna be a walker, I could've put him out of his misery, ya know? When I got close enough he pulled the gun and tried what he did… lucky I was quick enough to get away from him or you and I probably wouldn't be having this conversation."

He seized my arm, startling me and drawing me flush against him, staring down at me with blazing eyes. Heart in my throat, my question died on my lips as he ducked his head, face millimeters from mine and rapidly closing the distance.

"Shit…"

Daryl let me go almost instantly as Shane stared between the two of us in shock. Shutting his gaping jaw, he offered the two of us his most sheepish smile and rubbed the back of his neck, chagrined, "Sorry. Uh… didn't know you two were out here…"

"Just huntin'," Daryl replied, his voice gruffer and more irritated than usual. The deep timbre had my already racing pulse skyrocketing.

Holy _hell_…

Shane looked more than skeptical – like Daryl could honestly play it off like he hadn't seen him almost kiss me – before turning his gaze to me, almost as if asking if I was alright. If what almost just happened was against my will.

Grimacing, I fought the urge to retort, but thought better of it, simply nodding and replying, "Got a squirrel. Daryl got another one and a rabbit."

"You got a squirrel?" Shane sounded both surprised and impressed, earning a scoff from Daryl.

The atmosphere around us was getting rapidly awkward, and I took my crossbow up again and gave him a jerky wave, "Maybe I can get a deer."

They both scoffed at that one, before Shane awkwardly questioned, "You two headin' back? It's gonna be getting darker soon an' I don't like anyone bein' out too late…"

I glanced hesitantly toward Daryl, who was watching me like a hawk, his blue eyes piercing my dark ones, sending my heart into my throat. No, Shane, I actually would _really _like to stay here and see what happens next.

"Don't think there's anythin' else out here," Daryl shrugged a shoulder, squinting at Shane with a dark frown.

My gaze abruptly shot to him; well, that hadn't been what I was expecting. He gave me the slightest of shrugs and Shane nodded slowly, jerking his head in whatever direction camp was, tensely heading out ahead of me. The awkward scratching of the back of the neck told me he was beyond embarrassed; the question is would he tell anyone else? Like Lori?

Of course, that would be pretty shitty of him, seeing as he was doing worse things than that behind everyone _else's_ back. Hopefully he'd be couth about it, but I wasn't really banking on it.

Licking my lips, I didn't even chance a glance behind me, a little more than disappointed. Daryl brushed past me, his strides powerful and irritated, before he paused a few feet ahead of me. Stopping suddenly, he turned and powered back to me, grabbing my upper arms and planting his lips firmly against mine.

He didn't give me a chance to react, releasing me quickly and following after Shane. Shell-shocked but grinning, I watched him go, nerves alight, excited, at the latest revelation in our odd relationship.

He sent a smug glance over his shoulder and jerked his head, "C'mon, girl; gotta teach you how t' gut these squirrels…"

Shane cast an unconcerned – if not unbelievably baffled – glance over his shoulder, still eyeing the two of us sheepishly, but Daryl never looked at me again.

Still, I couldn't help but smile, replaying that explosive kiss in my mind as I trailed after the two of them. He couldn't blame me for running into a tree this time…

WDWDWDWDWDWDWD

So… What did you all think! I'd _really_ appreciate reviews from all of those reading! Thanks a million to those who have been reviewing; I'd like to know what you all thought about this one and if it needs reworking… I'm iffy at best with it…

RedLil: I haven't decided on that one yet =P Guess we'll see! Thanks!

Dalonega Noquisi: Thank you! So glad you're loving it! How'd you feel about this Daryl/Cat time?

sheenagoesRAWR: Haha, I can so see him being the jealous jerk =P Hope you're liking this one!

C011SI0N: Thanks! Oh, I know they're close, but I was just thinking that they're both hotheads and easily set off, so if he's at least partially interested in her and Merle won't shut up about wanting to screw her, he's going to be a little ticked. But I definitely understand what you're saying =) Yeah, just let me know when you get it up and I'll read it =)

MigratingCoconuts06: Thanks!

Aurora528: Haha, well, I thought he probably knows _some_ things… I mean, I know Merle and his dad weren't around, and he probably dropped out – I think I'll be going into that at some point – but people sometimes remember random things from school haha… I still have to plan it all out, but he's definitely not going to be educated like the others. He'll still gonna be the hot-tempered redneck we all know and love =P

Nekuranekomegami: Wow thanks! I'm glad you liked them all and thanks for reviewing all of the chapters! I really appreciate the comments and I'm really glad you like my writing!

xXx Tinkies xXx: Haha thanks! Yeah, I figured it'd be pretty Daryl-ish to get jealous. I'm really glad you're liking it and I hope you liked this one too!

Nelle07: Oh yes =D

Loquaciouslethality: Muchas gracias! Haha I'm so glad you think so and I really hope I was able to keep him in character in this chapter too!

Grim1989: Oh, I know! I just kept sitting there and cheering him on like _you can get up there, Daryl! GO GO GO! _Haha; I hope he can get himself strong before any more crazy stuff happens! And yes, Merle's probably seen it, too! But since he's gonna get left behind, he's won't be able to go blabbing about it =P

BrokenWing-FallenButterfly: Thanks! I hope you liked this one too!


	9. Drilling

Disclaimer: I don't own the Walking Dead, but I would certainly like to! Let's put Cat in it and see how things go ;P

A/N: So, more Cat/Daryl goodness in this one! Let me know what you think please! =D There might be one moment of OOC Daryl, but I don't think so, not with the latest episodes where we see a different side of him...

Chapter Eight: Drilling

_Shane cast an unconcerned – if not unbelievably baffled – glance over his shoulder, still eyeing the two of us sheepishly, but Daryl never looked at me again. _

_Still, I couldn't help but smile, replaying that explosive kiss in my mind as I trailed after the two of them. He couldn't blame me for running into a tree this time…_

So, Shane was being incredibly irritating. For some reason, he felt the need to fill the forest with idle chatter; maybe he felt _that_ awkward that he had to just keep talking. Daryl seemed to be getting more irate as he prattled, and I simply kept my mouth shut, sending Shane a tight-lipped smile and a simple answer whenever he asked me a question.

"An' then this one time, me an' Rick pulled over this _massive_ woman, naked as a jaybird," he chuckled, shaking his head and grinning nostalgically.

"Wanna see that again?" Daryl queried mockingly, earning a sheepish snort from Shane, who held up his hands and grimaced, "Hell no; just… just thinkin' back…"

"Miss him a lot?" I inquired curiously, earning a contemplative smile from Shane, "Rick?"

"Course I do," he replied with a nod, lips pursed tightly in anger, "wish I coulda done more… He'd know exactly what to do, ya know? He was just that kinda guy… Strong an' real calm under pressure; walkers wouldn't stand a chance…"

"I know Lori and Carl miss him," I mused calmly, earning a sharp look from Daryl and an agreeing nod from Shane, "it's a shame… sounds like a great guy."

Breaking through the trees, we reached camp, watching Lori, Amy, and Dale surround the radio, panicked expressions on their faces. Shane made his way toward them, questioning what they were doing, and I paused, watching the goings-on with interest.

All I heard was Amy growl, "That's my sister, you asshole!" and stalk away toward the RV. Dale was quick to follow her and Lori made her way toward Shane, who looked beyond irritated. He rubbed his jaw and rested a hand on her shoulder, muttering something comfortingly. She lowered her head and rested her hand over his.

_Yeah, too much awkwardness for me…,_ I turned, still curiously going over the incident in my head. What had they heard? Did something happen to the others? Was Danny okay? Gnawing on my lip, I jogged over to the RV, waiting for Dale to answer my call.

He peered out, giving me a small, sad smile, and stepped out, nodding his head toward the fire and away from the RV. I followed him, my quizzical frown prompting him to sigh, "We just heard something over the radio. It's not good, Cat."

"Is anyone hurt?" I questioned, alarmed. If it was Danny, I would never forgive myself. Panic welled up inside of me, all earlier ecstasy draining from me; it must have been obvious to Dale, because he patted my shoulder.

"Well, it wasn't much," he replied, "nothing confirmed, but Shane's not too worried about it. Obviously Amy wasn't too happy with that; something could have happened to Andrea, or any of the others. But Shane thinks it's too dangerous to go in on a whim…"

Frowning, I sighed, swallowing nervously, "Well, we don't know anything, right? It could've just been them checking in with us." At least, that's what I was hoping. I couldn't afford to worry about it, not if no one else was willing to go in and check. It was a little asinine anyway; trying to find them in an enormous city full of walkers wouldn't do any good to anyone _but_ the walkers. Still, I couldn't help but will the knot in my stomach away.

"Right," he replied with a complaisant smile, patting my cheek like my grandfather used to, "they'll be okay, Cat; don't worry too much about it."

"I just hope Shane knows what he's doing," I commented heavily; if something happened to the others and we didn't do anything about it, there would be hell to pay, and not just from me.

"So do I," he answered, brows high on his forehead, looking over me in concern, "you gonna be alright, Cat? I should probably go check on Amy, if Riley and Tory haven't gotten to her yet."

Laughing, I nodded, offering him a small smile, "Yeah, you go ahead, Dale. I have to find Daryl, anyway; he's got some questions to answer…"

"Yeah?" the old man seemed too interested for his own good – I had to laugh; just like my grandfather, "how'd hunting go, by the way?"

"Very well," I replied with a none-too-innocent grin, "got myself a squirrel…"

"Congratulations, Cat," he replied, a knowing glint in his dark eyes, backing away toward the RV. He chuckled at my suspicious gaze and turned, jogging slowly back to the vehicle.

Snorting in disbelief, I turned, zeroing in on the Dixon tent. The closer I got, the more my heart raced; how the hell was I going to talk to him about the incident in the woods? Just the thought of it was thrilling, but maybe it was just a fluke? Maybe he just did it to do it…

Daryl was sitting on a log outside of the tent, the squirrels and rabbit on the ground beside his feet, as he sharpened his knife. He lifted his gaze as I neared, his hands stilling immediately, though his impassive expression never changed. He replaced the knife in its sheath and straightened, eyes following me as I took a seat on the log beside him.

My hands were damp and I rubbed them on my jeans, turning to him and trying to formulate what I wanted to say. Every time I went to say something, I frowned, switching tactics. It wasn't working.

He eyed me in amusement, nodding toward the innocent, unmoving animals by his feet, "Ready t' learn how t' gut these things?"

"No," I replied, grabbing the front of his shirt and kissing him soundly. If I caught him off guard, he didn't show it, immediately responding and taking control of the kiss. His lips matched my own fervently, one hand grasping my waist and the other inching up my thigh.

Biting his lip, I smirked into his mouth as he growled gruffly and attacked my mouth with his tongue. Weaving a hand into his damp hair, I was almost too enthralled to realize we were still in camp. Almost.

Pulling back suddenly, I put some distance between us, breathing heavily. Quickly scanning the area for anyone stumbled upon us like Shane had, I ran an anxious hand through my hair. No one was there, not that I could see, and I turned back to face him, grinning slightly.

He had that smug smirk again, but this time it matched my own, and he looked me over, eyes a shade darker in intensity. My heart jolted as he chuckled deeply, "Damn…"

"You put it in my head," I accused with a laugh, nudging him slightly and, earning only a slight tensing of the shoulders – it would obviously take some time to him to get used to me touching him, though he didn't seem to mind the kissing, "anyway, I had to see if it was a fluke."

His penetrating gaze drew me in as he replied seriously, "I ain't like that…"

"Shut _up_!"

Daryl glanced over his shoulder, shooting a dangerous glare at Tory, who was probably ducking out of sight, beside Riley and probably Amy. Wincing, I refused to look, willing them to go away, and quirked a brow in the redneck's direction. Swallowing my nerves, I fought a grin and failed; I was too pleased with the taste of him on my tongue. He watched them go, before turning back to me and smirking, retrieving a squirrel and his knife.

Rolling my eyes and laughing, I braced myself for this less than entertaining lesson. It was nice to see Daryl wasn't changing; I wouldn't and I would've been disappointed if he would have. Rubbing my hands together, still buzzing from his kiss, I gave him a weathered sigh, "Alright; let's see how it's done..." Next time we did _that_, I could guarantee no one would be interrupting or spying on us.

WDWDWDWDWDWDWDWD

The girls didn't give me very much time – I was knuckle deep in the rabbit and doing surprisingly well (anatomy hadn't really bothered me until we got to the pigs) – before Riley appeared before Daryl and I, giving us her most appeasing smile.

"Hey, Cat, Jake was looking for you; I told him I'd come find you," she stated, hands clasped innocently before her. Innocent, my ass.

Sharing a skeptical look with the man beside me, I stood, accepting the dirty handkerchief from him and telling him I would be right back. He simply nodded, returning to the rabbit and deftly gutting it.

Riley gagged and turned quickly, so I hid my smile and jogged over to her, draping an arm over her shoulder and leading her toward the center of camp.

"How many people have you told?" I queried neutrally; it was bound to come out eventually and really, if Daryl didn't care about anyone knowing, I certainly didn't. It wasn't as clandestine as Shane and Lori, though I had to admit, it was probably just as scandalous. Cat and Daryl; who woulda guessed?

"I _knew_ it!" she squealed, once we were out of earshot, "I _knew _it was gonna happen! Oh my _God, _you were making out with _Daryl_!"

Oh. Apparently everyone.

"Mind if you keep it down a notch or two?" I inquired with a sheepish smile, "you, Tory, and Amy were the only ones who saw it, am I right?"

"Anyone walking by would've seen it, but I think it was just us," she replied, spinning and laughing, "oh my _God_, Cat! Wait 'til Danny finds out! You'll have nothing to tease him with now, girl; he's gonna be all over you with this…"

Laughing at the sheer absurdity of it all, I paused her dizzying spinning, "Calm down, Riley… It's not that big a deal…"

"Not that big a deal?" she repeated, aghast, eyes wide and concerned, "_you_, Cat Dalton, were _kissing_ _Daryl Dixon_… I'd say that's a pretty big deal, my friend." Grinning deviously, she lightly inquired, "How was he?"

Shaking my head and laughing, I shoved the younger girl and replied, "What, so you can go tell Tory and Amy?"

"Just a curious question," she mused, beaming, before waving it off, "fine, fine; keep your secrets. I know you were enjoying it…"

Blushing, I glowered playfully at her, "Shouldn't you be drilling Tory about Glenn?" Okay, maybe there wasn't anything there – it was the first duo that came to my head before the only _other_ couple currently residing at camp – but I had to try. Of course I enjoyed it; his touch was hot, demanding; who wouldn't melt under that?

"Hmm; don't think so, but for your sake, Cat, I'll drop it," she giggled, "actually, I also came to offer our services for making dinner tonight. As long as those squirrels and stuff – by the way, that was really disgusting; I don't know what you see in him – don't have heads or little arms or anything… Tory's gonna cook up some of those veggies and I'll do the meat, as long as Shane and Daryl don't mind."

Well that was unexpected. Usually the girls shied away from anything to do with cooking, mostly because it _was_ always squirrels and rabbits, or just that Lori or Miranda always cooked whatever canned corn or green beans we whipped out from the quickly dwindling supplies.

Thanking her, I ruffled her hair, earning an offended frown from her since I hadn't washed them of the dried squirrel blood, which quickly dropped into a smile, "No problem… Oh, and, just so you know, we are _definitely_ getting the details out of you…"

"Keep dreamin', Riley; my lips are sealed," I replied with a snort.

She offered me a disbelieving smile, "Not for Daryl, apparently."

Letting out an incredulous laugh, I shook my head, querying, "Did you just drag me out here to drill me about Daryl or was Jake actually looking for me?"

"Oh, you know us better than that, Cat!" she sounded offended, giving me a wild wink and jerking a thumb toward Daryl, "don't want to keep him waiting, do you?"

"Don't think I won't throw a damn rock at your head, Riley," I shook my head, making my way back toward the Dixon tent.

"God, you even sound like him," she laughed, "must've been that tongue-twistin' you two were doin'…"

Flipping her off with a grin, I made my way back to Daryl's tent. He was standing, stuffing the rodents' innards in a small, stained burlap sack and glancing at me, "She finished drillin' you?"

"Yep; it'll probably be all over camp in a few minutes," I replied with an unconcerned shrug, gingerly picking up the skinned animals, repeating _it's like a steak_ in my head, reminding myself to dunk my hands in the quarry for half an hour to get the blood and guts off.

"That bother you?" he questioned, stilling and straightening, eyes narrowing in calculation, as though he were expecting me to deny my attraction to him in front of everyone. Ha; fat chance of that…

"No," I replied, giving him an unimpressed look, "what are you going to do with those?"

"Bury 'em," he replied, retrieving a shovel from beside the tent, glancing down at the sack and pointing toward the woods with the shovel, "don't want any walkers wanderin' into camp after it…"

"Like the giant pool of blood outside your tent's gonna deter them," I retorted, snorting in amusement, crossing my arms over my chest.

"Well, least they'll be at my tent," he answered easily, lifting a massive shoulder, making his way toward the trees, "I'm the best one y'all got t' kill 'em; wouldn't even break a sweat."

"I thought you said Merle was the bragger?" I queried, quirking a challenging brow.

"Got plenty o' things t' brag about," he responded with a dangerous grin, disappearing silently into the woods.

_Ay Chihuahua_, I mused, biting my lip and laughing, more than a little intrigued by _that_… Wouldn't I like to know?

I made my way down to the quarry, pausing at the water and squatting beside it, dipping my hands in and washing them off. It was hot today (like every other day, it seemed) and the water looked more than inviting. Still, it was getting late and I needed to get mine, Mike's, and Jake's clothes washed. Pity; I'd've enjoyed inviting Daryl…

Done with that, I made my way back to our tent, gathering what dirty clothes were strewn about his and Mike's side of it under one arm. Lori fell in step beside me after departing the tent, a bag of clothes in her own arms, and smiled apologetically, "Sorry if I made you mad before…"

"It's no problem," I shrugged a shoulder; really, Lori was nice and all – we got along before Daryl and I caught her with Shane so there was no reason not to now, "you were just curious."

"Yeah, well, it wasn't my place to talk about anything like that," she replied with a small smile, almost gratefully, patting my arm and making her way toward Carol's tent.

I had to pause a moment; did she know that I knew about her and Shane? The color drained from my face and I hoped to God she hadn't _seen_ the two of us when we saw them… Again, this was too much awkward for me.

WDWDWDWDWDWDWDWD

That evening, the air had cooled down just enough to make the fire inviting, and as I made my way toward the gathering crowd, I watched Tory and Riley dishing out the food. Tory caught Daryl as he passed, offering him a paper plate and a broad, appeasing smile. Whatever she said seemed to irritate him, seeing as a scowl settled over his face, but he took the food with a nod, finding an empty log and dropping onto it.

Strolling over, ruffling Jake's hair as I passed, I accepted a plate from the smirking girl, "What'd you say to him?"

"Nothin'," she smiled cheerfully, shrugging, "just wonderin' what _really_ happened in the woods… He wasn't talkin', but I think we can get it out of him… Long as he doesn't rip our heads off…"

Shaking my head, I gave her an apologetic smile, "So sorry to inform you, my dear, but nothin' too dirty happened out there. Just a kiss."

"Yeah, like after seein' _that_ little display, I'm really gonna believe you," she scoffed, skipping over to Amy and Riley, shaking her head, upset. They both seemed to share in her disappointment, leaving me blushing and rolling my eyes. Definitely didn't expect it to be such a deal.

Incredibly aware of everyone's eyes on me, I took a seat beside Daryl, giving him a small smile. He nodded, eyes glinting in the firelight, and dug into his food.

Glancing up, most people diverted their eyes, but Dale gave me a soft smile, brows high as he looked between me and Daryl. I shot him a wink and turned to my meal, grinning as the old man chuckled to himself, turning to Amy and leaving us be.

WDWDWDWDWDWDWD

So, thank you all for your awesome reviews! I'm so glad you all liked the last chapter, cuz I definitely did! The next chapter's gonna have Rick in it, which I'm super excited about, because then we can get into the series!

May85: Here ya go!

Autobotgirl4ever: Definitely gonna finish this one; I just don't have a whole lot of time with classes, but that'll be over soon so I can write a lot more =D Glad you're liking it!

Band131: Thanks!

Nelle07: I know right! Definitely not the craziest thing going on there.

Leyshla Gisel: Thanks! I'm so glad you thought so!

Readergirl66: Heehee thanks =D

MigratingCoconuts06: Heehee, it's such a Daryl-like thing

MichelleJoy: Haha yay! Not the dying thing but the loving it!

Dalonega Noquisi: Oh, I definitely feel proud if it doesn't happen! Haha I absolutely love apple pie and I love dessert so I definitely had to put it in there =D Oh, I definitely don't think he would change; lemme know how you feel about this chapter too!

Loquacioiuslethality: haha YES! No, I get annoyed by him too! At some points I really liked him and then some points I just hated him haha!

Nekuranekomegami: Thanks! I really appreciate it! =D

Gaarsaku4ever: Here ya go!

Azalia Fox Knightling: Thanks! Haha sorry you were getting weird looks but glad it kept you giggling!

xXx Tinkies xXx: YEAHH! Ah so glad you liked it! I could totally see them doing that =D So glad you're loving it!

Sierra: Thank you! Yeah, she's definitely going to be in it for the whole series, but I still haven't decided if she's going with them to find Merle. I have a few different ideas for it. But I'm really glad you're liking it!

Watergoddesskasey: Thanks!

LovelySpecter: Thanks! I really appreciate it! Hopefully you like this chapter too!

ClaraC: Haha oh this show has me obsessing too! And so does Daryl =P Here's this one and I'll be working on a second one right after I upload this! =D

WolfAngel75: Oh it's fine; I'm just glad you're still here! Soo glad you're liking it! Gotta love the Daryl/Cat goodness =D


	10. Together

Disclaimer: So, I don't own this. Unfortunately. Like, really unfortunately. What's also unfortunate is that I didn't watch it last night! I'll be able to watch it tomorrow which is far too long for my liking =(

A/N: Wow, there's just so many updates coming to you guys! I lurve this chapter =P You guys have got this story over 100 reviews, which I was totally not expecting! Thanks so much!

A/N 2: Okay, and I also have a poll up on my profile, and then I'll be putting up a new one within the next few days if you would all be so lovely as to answer them =)

A/N 3: Oh, and before I forget! Who wants this rating changed to M? ;D

Chapter Nine: Together

_Incredibly aware of everyone's eyes on me, I took a seat beside Daryl, giving him a small smile. He nodded, eyes glinting in the firelight, and dug into his food._

_Glancing up, most people diverted their eyes, but Dale gave me a soft smile, brows high as he looked between me and Daryl. I shot him a wink and turned to my meal, grinning as the old man chuckled to himself, turning to Amy and leaving us be._

I couldn't stop running. If I did, they'd most definitely catch me and I really didn't want to be anyone's lunch. Chancing a glance behind me, I could see nearly a dozen or more walkers breaking through the branches and tearing through the forest after me.

My leg, still stiff and unused to the pressure, was burning, as were my lungs, and I desperately searched for a tree to climb. Hitting one with a low enough branch, I launched myself up into it, I hauled myself into the tree, pushing myself further up it on the off chance they could climb.

Luckily for me, they couldn't, and I breathed heavily, sweat dripping from my face, as I stared down at the clawing creatures below. They growled and snarled, so inhumanly human that I had to look away, glancing around the forest for any sign of the others. What had happened to them, I couldn't say, but I prayed that they made it away from camp before all hell broke loose.

Suddenly, the branch I was standing on began to buckle, loud cracks filling the air around me as it slowly snapped under my weight. Wide eyed, I scrambled for another branch, clawing for one of the heavier ones above me, but it was no use. Without a thought, I was on the ground, body aching and stinging from the impact, and the walkers quickly closing in. Where was my gun? Damn it!

They didn't give me a chance to scramble away; one caught my leg and sunk in, the others quickly following, grabbing and tearing where they could. I screamed and struggled at the searing pain, trying desperately to make an escape, but one dropped to the ground beside my face and ripped into my cheek.

Shooting up from my sleeping bag, I breathed heavily, hand to my chest in a vain attempt to calm my racing heart. Cursing to myself, I ran a hand through my short wavy locks and looked over at the silent, slumbering boys on the other side of the tent. Jake twitched and rolled over, but other than that, they were unaffected by my nightmare.

Standing, hypersensitive to every little sound, I tensely exited the tent and took a deep, mind-clearing breath. It was still early morning, the sun not even up yet but steadily on its way as the sky changed to a muted, pale blue, and I made my way to the empty fire pit.

Passing the RV, I started when Jim peered over the side and queried silently, "Are you okay, Cat?"

Already on edge, I gave him a small wave and nodded, "Yeah; just couldn't sleep…"

"Don't wander too far from camp, okay?" he commented, concern meshing with warmth, "just holler if you need anything."

"Right, thanks," I nodded, slowly and silently making my way toward the quarry, feeling insanely better with the S&W at my hip after that dream. Sitting on everyone's favorite boulder, I stared out over the water, watching the half exposed moon catch the water and sparkle in the dark.

It took a while to calm down some, but the soft, gentle lapping of the water against the shore was working wonders to calm my nerves. I had never been one to really look into my dreams, seeing as they were the most random and weird things I had ever experienced, but that one's stark realism just got to me.

Rubbing my hands together absently, I tried not to dwell on it, but I wanted to keep it in my mind that it _was_ possible for walkers to make their way up here. I didn't want to get complaisant, just in case something like that happened to happen.

Suddenly, something across the lake caught my attention and I reached for my weapon, heart in my throat. I wasn't too far away to keep from calling for Jim, but I didn't want to throw the camp into a panic, either.

Watching and waiting, I sighed a breath of relief as a raccoon slowly crept through the bushes and made his way toward the water, something in his little black hands. He crouched, only the white on his tail and face really visible in the darkness, and began to wash off his prize. Taking my hand from the gun, I watched him, wondering how big of an effect this invasion was having on them. Were they fast enough to outrun the walkers? They were probably better suited for fighting or fleeing the predators than we were.

The raccoon lifted his head suddenly, looking in my direction, and skittered back into the black woods, fruit in hand, immediately disappearing from sight.

Turning to see what had drawn its attention, I gave Daryl a warm smile, "Mornin'."

"What're you doin' up so early?" he questioned quietly, leaning against the boulder and staring up at me on my perch, "yer never up 'fore dawn."

Leave it to Daryl to be aware of everyone's habits; or was it just mine own he paid attention to? Sniffing, I looked back in the direction the raccoon had fled and replied, "Eh, just a dream…"

He grunted, following my gaze, and repeated, sounding more than a little skeptical, "Just a dream."

"Well, I didn't say it was a good one," I replied quietly, "actually, I'd really rather forget it." I could feel his gaze on me, silently prodding and, while he probably didn't _want_ to hear about it, he wouldn't stop me from getting it out.

"I was alone in the woods and there were a bunch of walkers," I replied slowly, "had to climb a tree – which I actually did pretty well since I never have climbed a tree before." He snorted and shook his head, but let me continue, "Then the branch I was on broke and… well, it wasn't very pretty… Don't know where everyone else was; probably back at camp."

"That sucks," he mused bluntly, earning a laugh from me, before shooting me a smirk, "don't think a bunch o' walkers are gonna be makin' their way up here soon. Anyway, sure as hell wouldn't be chasin' you into th' woods…"

Before I could question him, he made his way toward the quarry, peeling off his shirt as he went. Brows high on my forehead, I watched him kick off his worn, dirty boots and start unhitching his belt. It was then – when I could tear my eyes away from his solid, well-built form - that I noticed the towel he had brought down with him.

Clearing my throat and hoping it sounded less apprehensive than I felt, I queried, "You do this every morning?"

"Yeah," he replied, kicking his pants off and diving into the cool water in his boxers. When he resurfaced, he rubbed his face with a hand and questioned, "Why? Feel like joinin'?" Even from here, with the moonlight reflecting off of his glistening face, his smirk was evident.

Heart flopping, I slid down from my spot and kicked off my boots. Shimmying from my shorts and tank, I took a running leap into the water beside him, sending a spray of water into his face.

Resurfacing, I laughed at the glower he was sending me and replied, "Sure." The water, no longer warm from last night, send icy chills through me, ones that were offset by the warm, pulsing ones Daryl's gaze was causing.

Shooting a glance toward shore, I honestly hoped Jim wouldn't make his way over to investigate all the noise. I really would rather not get interrupted again.

Daryl moved silently toward me through the water, causing me to swim backwards with a challenging smile on my face. He quirked a brow and accepted, lunging forward as I dove out of the way. Laughing, I watched him scowl before diving and disappearing from sight.

Swimming toward the shore, I suppressed a scream as he grabbed me around the waist and surfaced. He chucked me a few feet and chuckled at the glare I shot him when I surfaced.

He remained motionless as I swam up to him, looking him over and watching a water droplet race from his soaked hair down along his jaw and onto his chest. He wrapped an arm around my waist and pulled me to him, dipping his head and catching my mouth with his.

Closing any distance between us, I ran my hands up along his chest and into his hair, never breaking the kiss. He moved his mouth from my own to my neck and I closed my eyes, legs wrapping around his waist, and leaned into his hot kisses.

Cupping his face in my hands, I caught his mouth once more, our tongues battling for dominance there in the rapidly brightening morning. Moaning his name into his mouth, I fisted his hair in one hand, heart and mind racing.

He cupped my backside, teeth grazing my neck once more, my name muffled against my skin. Letting out a blissful laugh, I buried my face into his neck, forgetting for a moment that the world had gone to hell and just enjoying Daryl frickin' Dixon.

WDWDWDWDWDWD

My fingers were beyond wrinkled as I floated on my back, fruitlessly trying to will myself out of the water. Daryl was scrubbing any excess dirt from his skin, running his hands through his already mussed up hair.

That blissful smile was still on my face and, though we hadn't actually done anything more than partake in a super hot-n-heavy make out session, I was more than pleased. I don't think either of us particularly _wanted _to stop, but I asked him and he obliged. Though the thought of us having sex in the water was incredibly sexy, it just seemed… wrong… to do it in everyone's water supply/bath. Damn, _I _cockblocked the two of us…

"I'm goin' huntin'; thought I saw some deer tracks last nigh' but it was gettin' too dark t' go after 'em then," he commented, making his way toward both me and the shore. He grabbed my arm and began dragging me toward shore.

Swiping at his arm, I flipped over and swam after him, growling, "Don't go all caveman on me, Daryl…"

"Didn't seem to mind it before," he retorted with a grin, releasing my arm and stalking onto shore. He scooped up his towel and dried himself down, tossing me the towel once he was done with it.

I caught it and dried myself off, scooping up my clothes and diving back into them. Grabbing my boots, I made my way to his side, draping the towel over my shoulder. He had waited for me beside the boulder, falling in step with me as we returned to camp.

"Wanna learn how t' hunt deer?" he questioned, light eyes flitting over the campsite, glancing briefly at Shane and then Jim, who was handing his binoculars and rifle over to Dale.

"I can't," I replied with an apologetic frown, "I promised the kids I'd teach 'em some more today. Never thought I'd see the day kids are _that_ excited about history… Jeez, when I was in school everyone but me _hated_ history."

"Think they just miss havin' somethin' normal," he replied with a shrug, rubbing his jaw.

"Beer and pie," I laughed, "when are you goin' hunting?"

He glanced at the sky, judging the time, and changed direction, toward his tent. Trailing after him, I took the time to enjoy myself and watch him walk. Nice abs, nice ass.

"Few minutes," he replied, "better t' just go early, when they're still out…" He climbed inside the tent, retrieving a few things, including his crossbow and a backpack. Zipping it back up, he turned to me, "If I can find one, it might take me a while t' track it down. Could be a day or two 'fore I come back t' camp."

Well, I definitely didn't like the idea of anyone leaving camp, especially the guy I was sort of dating, but if anyone would be fine out on his own for a few days, it would be him.

"I'd tell you to be careful, but I know you will," I commented, quirking a brow and smiling, "want my gun?"

"Only if I wanna scare anythin' off," he replied, though he smirked and glanced back toward camp, "I'm gonna get goin', Cat…"

Stepping forward, I kissed him softly, but just as deeply as our others. He responded, before pulling back and disappearing into the wilderness.

WDWDWDWDWDWDWDWWDDWD

Okay, it had been three days since anyone had seen hide or hair of Daryl, though I was trying not to let it get to me. He would show up sooner or later, though I couldn't convince anyone else of that, especially Shane. He was convinced – and absolutely pissed – that Daryl had left the group, deciding to rough it out on his own.

At least I wasn't the only one to doubt him on that one. The girls were assured that he wouldn't abandon me here and the rest figured he at least wouldn't leave his truck and motorcycle behind. The latter was oh so reassuring.

And, just another thing to worry about; the Atlanta group had yet to come back. It had been almost a week and I couldn't help but think things had gone horribly wrong. Amy was beyond panicking and it was getting harder and harder for her to keep from lashing out at anyone, including Dale. The minute Andrea and Danny came back, I assumed they were in for a good reaming out.

"So we've got the battle of Freeman's Farm, remember?" I questioned, looking over the children – only Sophia and Eliza were busily searching through their notes; the boys had pursed lips and furrowed brows, trying to recall the information, "and then Bemis Heights? When'd they take place?"

Sophia must have found it first, because her hand shot up in the air and she waved it around. Laughing, I called on her, glad to see she was trying to break out of her shell; of course it was hard with her father breathing down _everyone's_ neck and getting increasingly annoyed with all of us.

"Freeman's Farm was September 19th, 1777," she replied, giving in to Eliza for the other question.

"And the other one was October 7th," the young girl replied with a bright, toothy smile, "was that right?"

"It was; great job girls," I answered with a thumbs-up, "so after both battles, on October 17th, we have…?" The girls dug through their notes, but to no avail. "Ha, I didn't tell you; okay, October 17th was the result of the two battles; Saratoga. The British surrendered to the Continentals; the biggest contribution this battle made was getting the French involved."

The kids, even the boys this time, wrote that down and I continued, "So, just to recap; the battle was between Horatio Gates, who had been a British General prior to the war, and _Gentleman Johnny_ Burgoyne…"

Suddenly, a loud, echoing horn blared through the air, causing all of us to drop what we were doing and jumping to our feet. Jogging over to the long dirt trail leading to and from camp, I stood beside Jim with wide eyes, watching a sporty red and black car zooming up in our direction.

"What the hell is that?" Shane growled, shotgun in hand, completely ready to put it to use.

The car came to an abrupt halt in front of us and my hand went to my S&W on the off chance it needed to be put to use. Glenn and Danny climbed out, the former pointing to the car with a broad grin, saying something that none of us could hear over the blaring horn.

"Turn it off!" Shane growled as the kids covered their ears, he, Dale, and Jim hurrying up to the sweet car. I glanced over at the woods, wondering if the sound would be enough to draw any walkers in the area.

They popped the hood and Shane dug around in the engine, finally yanking some wires and silencing the clearing of the obnoxious siren. Ears ringing, I eyed the two young boys in disbelief, beyond glad to see him back safe and sound, but wondering how on earth he had managed to make it up here without drawing any walkers in.

"What the hell were you thinkin'?" Shane growled, slamming a hand on the metal beauty, "this thing prob'ly attracted all the walkers in the frickin' area!"

"It wasn't our idea," Danny defended the two of them, palms out to placate the irate sheriff's deputy, "it was the helicopter guy…"

"Helicopter guy?" I queried, brow furrowed, "what helicopter guy?"

"We met him in the streets," Glenn replied, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly; obviously none of them, including this helicopter guy, had considered the consequences. I'd love to hear the story though.

"Where's the others?" Lori questioned, "Jacqui, Morales?"

I made my way to the two boys, hugging Danny tightly and giving him an obnoxious peck on the cheek, "Glad to see you're okay, kiddo."

He gave me an unimpressed look before beaming, "Glad to see you are, too, Kitkat… It's been crazy the last few days…"

"I can only imagine," I replied with a laugh, shoving him toward Amy, who was positively bouncing with excitement, "tell me about it later." I gave Glenn a hug while he tried fruitlessly to defend himself against the barrage he seemed to be getting.

He gave me a surprised smile and jerked a thumb toward the vehicles bouncing up the dusty, dirt path, "There are the others…"

My van was at the back of the pack, and as soon as they made their way into the clearing, the people began pouring out. Morales shot me a grin and ran to his wife and child, while Andrea raced over to Amy, gathering her in a tight hug. Riley, Tory, Mike, and Jake were hugging Danny and he ruffled the boys' hair.

T-Dog gave me a one-armed hug when he walked by, giving me a grim smile. My stomach dropped; it was one of _those_ looks. Something had happened, though hopefully no one had gotten bitten; but I figured Glenn and Danny would have said something if that was the case.

Another man followed Jacqui into view, dressed in an officer's outfit of all things. Looked like a sheriff. He was thin, with stubble lining his jaw, and had light blue eyes. His hair was dark, and damp, and he looked a little worse for the wear; if he had been in Atlanta by himself, though, I wouldn't doubt he had a rough time.

He gave me a small smile and nod, "Hello."

"Hey, helicopter guy," I quirked a brow.

He chuckled weakly and offered a hand, "Rick Grimes."

Brows high, I stared up at him, beyond floored. His brow furrowed in confusion at my expression, but I couldn't get past the idea that Rick Grimes was alive and there would be hell to pay when he found out his wife and his best friend were together.

"Cat, I got some bad news about Merle," T-Dog frowned, staring at the ground with the guiltiest of expressions.

Scratch that; there would be hell to pay when Daryl found out something happened to his brother. _Shit_.

WDWDWDWDWDWDWD

So! Zank you vonce again vor reading zis! =D If you could, please review cuz I adore hearing all of your responses! Ahh now we can get into the show! I've been waiting for this and I've been soooooo waiting for Daryl's response to Merle being left behind, cuz *SPOILER ALERTTTT* it's gonna cause some big problems between him and Cat! Anywhooo…

Dalonega Noquisi: Thanks so much! I'm anxious for the next chapter; it's gonna be crazy! So glad you're liking this :D

MigratingCoconuts06: Thanks!

Readergirl66: Oh I definitely shall =P Thanks!

Gurl3677: Ahh, I know, right? *swoon*

Nekuranekomegami: Ah! Thanks! I'm so glad you're loving it, cuz I definitely am!

MichelleJoy: Thanks! Haha, hopefully you liked their relationship in _this_ chapter!

WolfAngel75: Teehee thanks! If you felt giddy after that one, how'd this one treat you haha?

Grim1989: Yes! I almost flipped out! Stupid Andrea! :[ Haha, I think I'm gonna turn it to M XP And no I haven't, but I'm definitely looking forward to it!

Nelle07: Haha yes, poor Cat and Daryl!

xXx Tinkies xXx: Haha YES! I was so happy with that haha! Glad you're loving it and thanks so much!

Azalia Fox Knightling: Hee hee :D Hmm, I should write a chapter in his POV! That would be intense haha

Chachi94: Thanks!

LovelySpecter: Thanks! Oh, I'm so excited to get into the season!

Loquaciouslylethality: Haha yes! I was excited for it! And I so certainly would be kissing that man ;D Thanks so much! And thanks! I think he's definitely drool-worthy too! I need to work on that one too…


	11. Explosion

Disclaimer: I don't own the Walking Dead but what I would give to own Daryl/Norman =P

A/N: So, seems like most people enjoyed the quarry scene; there shall be more Daryl/Cat goodness, I just don't know when, since the trip back into Atlanta's coming soon… What do you guys think? Also, I put a poll up for whether Cat should go to Atlanta on my profile, as well (if you wanna just vote there or you can just put it in your reviews).

Chapter Eleven: Explosion

_Brows high, I stared up at him, beyond floored. His brow furrowed in confusion at my expression, but I couldn't get past the idea that Rick Grimes was alive and there would be hell to pay when he found out his wife and his best friend were together._

_"Cat, I got some bad news about Merle," T-Dog frowned, staring at the ground with the guiltiest of expressions._

_Scratch that; there would be hell to pay when Daryl found out something happened to his brother. __Shit__._

Something suddenly caught Rick's attention over my shoulder, and he grinned broadly. Offering me a distracted 'scuse me', he pushed past me and jogged over to Shane. With broad, shocked grins – mostly on Shane's side – the two of them hugged, chuckling and patting one another on the back.

Something else caught Rick's attention, one that had his jaw dropping and tears welling up in his eyes. He raced toward Carl, catching him in his arms and hugging the life out of the little boy. Lori, floored, gathered her husband and son into her arms and just bawled.

I didn't know what was more awkward, seeing the family reunion and feeling like an intruder, or seeing Shane staring at the group with a look of abject dejection on his face.

Turning to T-Dog, I queried seriously, "What happened?"

He sighed heavily and dropped his head in guilt, "It was all my fault; I dropped the key. See, Merle was tweakin' out, flippin' his lid, and Rick handcuffed him to the roof. He was shootin' at walkers and caught their attention, so we were trapped in the department store. I went to unlock him but I tripped and the key fell into a drainpipe. We left him on the roof; the walkers swarmed the place and we ran away."

"So you left him chained to the roof in a building full of walkers?" I queried, mouth running dry. Oh God, Daryl was going to be absolutely livid when he found out. I mean, everyone knew that Merle was a bastard and probably deserved to be chained to a roof, but to go out like that… My God…

"I tried, Cat, I did," he begged, rubbing his forehead in frustration, "I went back for him… I was gonna unlock that racist bastard, but I dropped it and I panicked… Where's Daryl? I have to tell him."

"He went out huntin' a few days ago; hasn't been back yet," I replied, biting my lip and trying not to show my worry.

"Finally realize the two o' you are crazy about each other?" T-Dog cracked a grim smile, one that disappeared almost immediately.

Offering a small smile, I nodded, "Yeah… Oh, God, T-Dog, he's gonna kill you…"

He let out a sudden, anxious laugh, "I know, girl… You got my back?"

"I'll try to keep him from killin' you, if that's what you mean," I replied with a nervous smile, patting his arm and returning to the others, who seemed to be talking about the exact same thing.

"Who's gonna tell Daryl?" Dale seemed beyond concerned, dark brow furrowed and a frustrated frown tugging at his mouth.

"It's gotta be me," T-Dog replied, bracing himself, "I'm the one who dropped the key; it's my responsibility."

"Wouldn't it sound better coming from someone… white?" Glenn queried anxiously, shooting T-Dog an apologetic frown, before looking between Shane and Rick, almost as though torn between who to follow. Rick must've made a pretty big impression on the Atlanta group if Glenn was willing to follow his orders over Shane, who everyone pretty much released the reigns to.

"I'll do it," Rick stated grimly, "I'm the one who locked him to the pipe. I know how to handle situations like this one…"

"Maybe it shouldn't be either of you," Jim noted, eyes darting to me. Everyone's gaze zeroed in on me and I raised a hand, offering a sheepish smile and wave.

"Cat?" Rick inquired, stepping up and placing a hand on my shoulder, "you and Daryl are close?"

"You could say that," I replied, brows high on my forehead, "but I don't think he'll listen to me; not after this… Merle is his _only_ brother, the only person he had in this world and you chained him to a pipe." Rick frowned and lowered his gaze as I continued, "There's no way to sugarcoat it, even if it's coming from me. But… I'll give it a shot. But if he bites my head off, I'm blaming all of you."

"Don't think he will, Cat," Shane strolled up to my side, offering me a reassuring smile, "if anyone can keep him calm, I'm puttin' my money on you…"

Well, that I highly doubted. They all seemed to take the fact that this was Daryl's only sibling lightly, not to mention the fact that he was about as cantankerous as a bull and just as dangerous. While he hadn't flipped on me yet, I wouldn't put it past him just because we made out.

"Where is Daryl?" Glenn inquired, looking around camp for the AWOL hillbilly.

"Out hunting; it's been a few days since he's been back," Lori stated, casting me a wide-eyed look, as though I'd go blabbing about her lurid affair with Shane. Believe me, woman, it wasn't my place to tell…

"Well, we gotta be ready to tell him whenever he gets back," Rick sighed, returning to Lori and Carl, wrapping an arm around his wife and pulling his son into his side. They clung to each other, a really heartwarming image if Lori wasn't looking so absolutely guilt-ridden.

"Great," I sighed heavily, looking over to the kids and shaking my head, "yeah, class is over for today…" I had to get some kind of speech ready, something with a lot of persuasion and appeasement, or the camp was liable to go up in flames the minute Daryl Dixon returned.

WDWDWDWDWDWDWD

Pacing inside my tent, I chewed on my nail. Still hadn't found out how to approach Daryl with the revelation of his abandoned brother. Snapping me out of my reverie was a high-pitched scream a few feet into the forest.

Racing out with my crossbow in hand, I passed the kids, who were running into the safety of the camp, and followed the men and Andrea into the woods. The blonde ran to her sister, holding her tightly as the men easily dispatched a walker that had been feasting on a deer with three long crossbow bolts embedded in its side.

Daryl emerged from a thick patch of woods, a scowl on his dirty face as he knelt beside the deer. Cursing, he examined the walker-inflicted wound to its neck and queried, "Think it'd be alright if we cut around it?"

I wanted to run to him and kiss the life out of him – as well as beat him over the head a few times for being gone so long – but refrained. Didn't want to make an ass out of myself in front of everyone, now did I?

"Can't risk it," Shane commented with a frown; obviously Daryl wasn't the only one upset at the prospect of losing something so valuable as an enormous buck.

"Damn," Daryl grunted once more, standing and yanking the bolts from the deer, "took me three days to track this thing down." He wiped the bolts off and tucked the dirty rag in his back pocket. He shouldered his crossbow and observed the group before him, eyes settling on me almost immediately. He strode over, taking my arm in his muddied hand and carefully pulling me away from the others.

"Welcome back, Daryl," I grinned, swallowing my unease at the bitterness and fury he was going to unleash once we informed him, "had me worried there for a while…"

"Like any walker could take me down," he bragged, smirking, "should know me better than that by now, Kit."

"Kit?" I queried with a laugh, "where'd that come from?"

"Kitkat's dumb as hell and I already told ya I don't like cats," he replied with a snort, offering me a slight grin, "an' I had an aunt named Cathy…"

"Right," I replied with a smile, "I like it…"

Amy's scream and Andrea's scoff of disgust drew our attention, though they weren't staring at us; the walker on the ground had its yellow eyes open and was snapping at the two of them.

Daryl stepped away from me and raised his crossbow, sending a bolt through the head without flinching, "Don't ya know ya have t' shoot 'em through the head?"

Retrieving that bolt, he moved past the group, shoulders tense, and bellowed, "Hey, Merle! Got us some squirrels!"

Offering the others an apologetic frown, I moved past them. They followed after me, but Rick caught my arm, holding me back from the others, "Maybe you shouldn't be the one to tell him… I didn't realize that the two of you were…"

"No offense, Rick, but I don't think it's gonna sound any better coming from you," I replied with a quirked brow.

He pursed his lips but nodded and the two of us returned to the camp, where Daryl was pacing, brow furrowed in confusion and concern. "Merle!" he barked, stalking toward their tent and dropping the squirrels outside of it. He peered inside and, as everyone watched him nervously, I jogged up to him, swallowing my heart.

"Daryl," I called, touching his arm. Something in my voice must've caught his attention, because he tensed, turning to me with narrowed eyes, running them over my carefully neutral face. Lip curling, he glanced at the others, picking up on their anxiety just as easily.

"The hell's goin' on?" he questioned, his voice dangerously calm, "where's Merle?"

"He didn't come back, Daryl," I replied resolutely, "he's not here." Bracing myself for his explosion, I watched his jaw clench and his hands fist until his knuckles were white. I swear to God, if he hit me, much as I liked the guy, he wouldn't be standing by the time I got through with him, whether I had to use a huge branch or just my fists.

Shoulders straight and taut, he leaned down, inquiring, "What'd you say?"

"He was a danger to the group," Rick piped up, holding his palms out in what he hoped was a calming, almost submissive way, "he was shootin' at walkers, drawin' attention to us… He brought half the city to the department store we were in…"

"You left my brother t' die?"

There it was. His tone was loud, his demeanor threatening as he stalked up to the Rick, shoving himself into the ex-sheriff's deputy's face and snarling.

"Listen, Daryl, I know how you feel, and it was wrong of us to do, but I decided it was in the best interest of all of us that…"

"An' who the hell are you?" Daryl growled, stalking back and forth through the slowly retreating crowd, glaring dangerously at them all, myself included.

"Rick Grimes," the soft-spoken deputy replied, "I'm…"

"Well _Rick Grimes_, who the hell you think you are t' leave my brother behind?" Daryl seethed, getting back in the man's face, shoving his chest and sending the smaller man back a few steps.

"It was my fault, Daryl; I dropped the key," T-Dog grimaced when Daryl turned his murderous gaze on him.

"What key?" Daryl bit out, furiously wiping his eyes as tears welled up in his baby blues. Biting my lip, I desperately wanted to go to him, tell him it would be okay, but I didn't really want to be shoved to the side or hear something I really didn't want to hear him say. Anyway, anything I would have done for him wouldn't have any affect.

"I handcuffed him to the roof," Rick sighed, shoulders tensed resolutely. He had a hand on the butt his gun as Daryl hoisted his crossbow up and aimed it at him.

Shane and Rick drew, and I snapped, racing forward and pushing myself between the feuding factions. Dale called my name nervously, but I pressed a hand to Daryl's heaving, sweaty chest, and lowered Shane's and Rick's guns with one arm.

Turning my back on the two deputies, I grabbed his face and drew his attention down to meet my gaze, "It's not worth it, Daryl…"

"Why the hell ain't it worth it?" he snarled, slamming his crossbow to the ground, eyes cold and dark as they burned into mine, "you sayin' my brother deserved to die chained to a pipe on th' top of a damn roof?" He huffed, lip curling, "Prob'ly glad he's gone, aren'tcha? Don't have t' worry 'bout him botherin' you, callin' ya names… You can just strut around camp an' not have to put up with his shit now, right… Frickin' bitch…"

Stepping back, I dropped my hands, heart plummeting into my stomach. I knew he was upset and knew that something like this would happen, but that didn't make it any better to hear him call me a bitch, let alone think I'd be glad that he lost his brother.

"Hey, now!" Shane growled, pushing past me and muscling Daryl back away from me, "keep that shit to yerself! Might not wanna fight the only one on yer side right now…"

Daryl's gaze reluctantly turned to me, but I raised a threatening eyebrow, shrugging Riley's consoling hand from my shoulder and shaking my head. I went to say something, but thought better of it – probably didn't want to curse him half to hell while he was feeling so volatile and _I_ certainly didn't want to say anything I'd regret later – so I rolled my eyes and stalked away from camp.

Fuming, I jogged down to the quarry, S&W in hand, and disappeared into the forest. Shoulders tensed and muscles clenched, I plodded into the woods, not caring if I came across a walker at this point. In fact, it'd be nice to encounter one; I could take out all my irritation with Daryl out on it.

_Of course, I would react the same way if someone left Jake to fend for himself without a weapon with a horde of mindless killers_, the rational side of me mused. Still, being called a bitch by the one person I got along best with wasn't something I was entirely fond of.

Kicking a fallen log, I dropped myself onto it, looking over the gun in my hands. I _really_ wanted to shoot something. Stupid Daryl. Stupid Merle for getting us into this mess. I mean, if Merle was drawing the attention of hundreds of walkers, I'd be hard-pressed to keep from putting a stop to it. Still, leaving him to die, no matter how shitty a person he was, would've eaten at me. No pun intended.

Letting out a grown of frustration, I stood and turned, catching sight of a low-hanging branch and taking aim. I put a good five rounds into it before lowering the gun and sighing heavily. At least I didn't picture Daryl's head on the branch; that would've boded horribly for him whenever I returned to camp.

That done, I had to admit, I _did_ feel a bit better. Shoving the gun in my waistband, I continued on into the woods a bit, making sure to maintain my bearings out there. Like I mused with Daryl, I was crap with directions, especially when there were no landmarks to tell me where to go.

Crouching low, I looked around the forest, wondering if my shooting drew in any walkers. I didn't see any dark, bloody bodies powering toward me, so I figured I was good. Waiting and watching, I found a raccoon scurrying down from a tree. Taking aim, I quickly lowered the gun, frowning. It was a little thing, a baby probably.

Shivering, it slowly approached me, sniffing my outstretched fingers and backing away quickly when I tried to pet it. Smiling slightly, I reached for it, cooing. Slowly, it crept forward, putting its little hands on my own, and sniffing my palm. Carefully, I began to pet the little critter and glanced around the treetops.

I had to recall the raccoon from a few days ago and wonder if it had perhaps fallen prey to that stray walker. I mean, it might have been gnawing on the neck of Daryl's deer, but those things were pretty insatiable.

The baby cried out, crawling onto my hand, and I picked it up, carefully cradling it to my chest and hoping it didn't have rabies. What? I didn't want to get taken out by rabies in a walker-infested world. After seeing Cujo, I didn't know which was worse.

Still unable to find any sign of its mother, I snapped a few berries from a twig and offered it to him.

Making my way back toward the lake, the raccoon happily munching on the berries, I breathed heavily. I really wasn't looking forward to getting into another confrontation with Daryl, but I wouldn't abandon him when he needed me the most.

Breaking through the underbrush, I found myself on the edge of the lake once more. It was on the verge of twilight; fortunately I made it back before it got too dark. If there was one thing I would be terrified of it was being lost in the woods in the dark. Normally, I probably wouldn't have cared _too_ much, but the threat of walkers in this new, dangerous world was too nerve-wracking to consider.

I was on the opposite side of camp – not where I had taken off but fortunately still within walking distance of home – and began the trek back. The raccoon snuggled up to my chest as I walked and I grinned, positively smitten.

"_Cat!_"

"_Cat, where are you?_"

Startled, I looked around, squinting through the dimming light across the lake. I saw a few flashlights waving in the darkness, their owners' forms only barely recognizable. Making my way back toward camp, I called out to the nearest form, "I'm right here!"

The figure ran at me, gathering me in a tight hug. Danny breathed a sigh of relief, "Thank God, Cat; we heard the gunshots and everyone started flipping out…"

Apologizing, I patted his shoulder and smiled, "C'mon, let's get back to camp…"

As we neared, everyone we encountered called to the next searcher that I had returned safe and sound.

Lori gathered me in a tight hug as Rick touched my arm gently. The mother patted my back and questioned, "What happened out there? Did you run into walkers?"

She led me over to the fire, like I had been through a horrifying ordeal, and sat me down. Jake latched onto me, hugging me tightly, and I found myself biting my lip in embarrassment. Rubbing his back, I kissed the top of his head; hadn't I told him I'd never abandon him? What did I just do? Go missing for what was really a few hours, shooting off my gun and leading everyone to believe I had been attacked? I felt like I tool.

Smiling sheepishly at the others, who all watched me carefully, concerned, I replied, "Just blowing off some steam… Didn't run into anything except this little guy." I showed them the raccoon, who was burrowing into my shirt.

"Thank God for that," Lori sighed, running her hand through her hair, "gave Daryl a good scare, though."

"Where is he?" I queried, glancing around at the familiar faces, unable to spot the one I wanted.

"She back yet?"

Glancing over my shoulder, I watched Daryl stalk toward the fire, toward me, and stood. Tucking the raccoon tightly against my chest, I headed over to him, taking a deep breath.

He glanced at my new companion, unimpressed, but his sky eyes spoke volumes. Almost hesitantly resting a large, calloused palm on my hip, he frowned, "'m sorry."

Raising a thoughtful brow, I nodded slightly, giving him a slight grin, "I should hope so." Wrapping my free hand around his neck, I pulled him down to my level, kissing him firmly.

There was a small round of clapping from the campfire, to which Daryl flipped everyone off, and I returned to my perch on the log. Daryl dropped heavily onto it beside me and questioned, "What was with all the shootin'?"

"Stress reliever," I replied quietly, "be glad I wasn't picturing your head while I was doin' it."

He snorted, shaking his head and jerking a chin at the raccoon, "Take it you aren't lookin' t' eat that thing?"

"Hell no," I replied, stroking the small animal's head. He huffed in amusement, before staring down at the fire, his gaze hooded, distracted. Nudging him, I subtly took his hand in my own, "I'm sorry, too; for leaving you here. And scaring you. I wasn't thinking."

He looked at our intertwined hands, an uncertain glint in his light eyes as he hastily looked around, checking to see if anyone else noticed, before shrugging a shoulder, "Don't matter… Felt like a pussy for cryin' in front of everyone, though…"

"I think they were more afraid of your temper than your tears, Daryl," I noted, before querying, "how're you feeling?"

He swept his gaze over my face, brows settling low over his eyes, "Apparently th' door was chained; walkers might notta reached Merle. We're goin' back into the city t'morrow t' find him…"

WDWDWDWDWD

A/N 2: Hmm, so, I was gonna prolong the conflict between Cat and Daryl but just couldn't bring myself to. He's one of my major weaknesses unfortunately! =P So thank you to all who reviewed; I would very much appreciate more of them! Again, hoping Daryl didn't seem too out of character; I know from Cherokee Rose that he has a sweet side, so him not yanking away from Cat holding his hand or giving her a nickname doesn't seem _too_ atypical, but who knows. And what should I name the baby raccoon?

Readergirl66: Thanks! Ah there may be a little break because of the Atlanta trip, but rest assured there'll be some hot stuff at the CDC!

MigratingCoconuts06: Hehe, I'm thinking you're right! I'm not too great writing that stuff but I'm more than willing to make an attempt with Norman Reedus as my muse ;D

Dalonega Noquisi: Thanks! I know, I wasn't looking forward to them either!

LovelySpecter: Haha thanks! I was so excited to bring Rick in; I want Cat and him to be close. He's such a nice guy and I think I could use that for some mucho jealousy later on :D

WolfAngel75: Woo! I'm so glad you liked it!

Ivycake101: heehee thanks!

Nekuranekomegami: Thanks! I always try to do my best with this story; I love the show so much! I might make it M; I'll have to see if I can write M scenes well enough haha

Azalia Fox Knightling: Thanks! So glad you enjoyed it!

Grim1989: heehee I liked it too! Ah I love Peter Facinelli – as if my Carlisle/OC story didn't show it! I tried that link you sent me but I couldn't find the picture =(

Gurl3677: I know… I'd love it!

xXx Tinkies xXx: Woo! Thanks! So glad you liked it; I was worried it wouldn't turn out how I wanted it to! I'm really considering it; it's so tempting! I blame Norman Reedus for that ;D

Kim: Thank you! I'm so glad you're enjoying it!

Nelle07: Wasn't looking forward to their conflict but I think it was pretty Daryl-ish!

Leyshla Gisel: Aw yeahhhh haha


	12. One

Disclaimer: I don't own the Walking Dead! Unfortunately! If I did, I would definitely be keeping Daryl to myself ;)

VERY IMPORTANT A/N: So, got a steamy little scene but I didn't go into too much detail; I wanted to test it out first. I'll be the first to admit that I don't write these kinds of scenes so it might not be that good… _Please_ let me know what you think! I'd love to get more reviews (I won't force you all unless absolutely necessary haha), but I'm definitely not complaining about the ones I got! You guys are awesome! Oh, and it is officially bumped up to M.

Chapter Eleven: One

"_I think they were more afraid of your temper than your tears, Daryl," I noted, before querying, "how're you feeling?"_

_He swept his gaze over my face, brows settling low over his eyes, "Apparently th' door was chained; walkers might notta reached Merle. We're goin' back into the city t'morrow t' find him…"_

Brows high, I nodded, a little unnerved at the idea, "Who's going?" Gently stroking the slumbering raccoon, I hoped it was a good, strong group, especially if there were a lot of walkers left.

He jerked a chin toward T-Dog, still too irate with him to even say his name apparently, "Th' chink an' th' newest friggin' asshole…"

"And you, of course," I mused, running my tongue along my lower lip, "and me."

Daryl looked over me with a deep frown, before running a hand over his rough face, muttering, "Hell…" His shoulders were tense, anything but pleased with my decision; the question was, would he try and stop me?

"What, don't want me taggin' along?" I teased, a wry smirk on my face, "I'll interrupt the male bonding time?"

He snorted, shooting the nearest guy – poor Glenn – a glare, "Bondin', my ass…"

"Maybe, if that's what it takes," I chuckled, diving out of the way as he sent a vicious glower my way in case he started swinging. The raccoon awoke with a start and clung to my shirt; I would've reprimanded him for startling Winfield, but I was too busy laughing in his face.

"That ain't even funny," he growled, lips pursed in a grim line, "an' hell no, I don't want you goin'… Don't need t' be watchin' yer ass, too…" He smirked suddenly, "Then again, you do have a friggin' sexy one…"

Glad for the darkness, I blushed brightly, though I sent him a half-hearted glare, "Flattery will get you nowhere, Daryl. I'm going with you and I'd rather have you with me than pissed at me…"

"Fine," he huffed, glancing out over the fire, his gaze falling on Jake, who was laughing with the other kids, drawing in the dirt with sticks, "what about th' kid? Thought you weren't leavin' him?"

"I think he'll be alright," I replied quietly, watching my younger brother play with his friends, "there's been one walker that made its way up here so far and how many people are staying behind this time? And I think he'll understand…" Understand that I care about you and that I want to help you…

Daryl stared at me, his eyes exceptionally bright in the fire, and gave me the smallest of grins. Taking his knee in my hand, I squeezed it and stared into the crackling flames. While I didn't want to go back into Atlanta – I had had my fill of the death trap the last time I had been in there, I wasn't going to abandon Daryl. I just had to figure out how to convince Jake that I wouldn't be abandoning him, either.

After Rick told us his depressing tale of waking up from his coma, wandering through our new world with absolutely no idea about what happened, coming across Morgan and Duane, and then making his way into Atlanta to look for help, I don't think any of us were feeling all that great. I even handed Winfield over to Jake to stroke, seeing as he looked about ready to crawl into a hole in depression. Shane and Ed had gotten into an argument over the fire, one that had all of us tensed up, but the asshole gave in to the deputy's demand.

"Jake, Mike," I called to the boys, who were yawning anyway, "you guys better get to bed…"

Neither looked all that happy about being sent to bed, but stood anyway. Miranda, Carol, and Lori followed my lead, and I stood, giving Daryl a 'wait here for me' look. I followed the boys to the tent, climbing inside and crouching before them as they climbed into their sleeping bags.

"So, got somethin' to tell you both," I stated, giving them a slight, grim smile, patting Winfield's head as he nervously paced around the tent, "I'm going into Atlanta tomorrow to look for Merle…"

"But you hate Merle," Mike stated, giving me a perplexed frown, "he's a jerk and prob'ly dead… and there's lots of walkers out there…"

"I know," I replied, giving him a reassuring smile, only somewhat unnerved that the once cheerful boy was getting used to the death and destruction of our world, before turning to my silent, frowning brother, "Jake, I know I told you I wouldn't leave you, but…"

"Cat, I don't want you to go," he frowned, voice breaking slightly, looking down at his hands, "why can't Shane go? Or Morales again?"

"They have other things to do, kiddo," I shrugged slightly, wiggling my toes nervously, "Morales has his family to take care of; he went out there once – would you want Louis and Eliza to deal with that again?"

"But I have to deal with it now!" he exclaimed, throwing himself back against the pillow.

Shooting Mike a look, one that had the other boy climbing out of the tent, I lay down beside my brother. Sighing heavily, I looked over at the teary-eyed boy, "Listen, if you really don't want me to go, I won't go. I told you I wouldn't leave you and I'd be breaking my promise if I went."

He frowned, bright emerald eyes staring up at me, "What about Daryl?"

"He doesn't want me to go, either, not really," I let out a laugh, rolling my eyes.

"You hate Merle an' me an' Daryl don't want you to go," Jake repeated, brow furrowing upward as he peered out from his sleeping bag, "then why do you want to go?"

"I don't like Merle," I agreed, nodding and staring up at the ceiling, "and you and Daryl don't want me to go. Even if we don't find Merle, no one else cares about him, or Daryl… You saw how he was today when he found they left Merle, right?"

Peering over at him, I watched him nod, and I continued, "Imagine if it was me they left and you found out I was dead, but no one cared about either of us… I just wanna be there for Daryl, but not if it hurts you."

He was silent for a moment, before grabbing my hand and sighing, "I want you to go, Cat."

"You sure?" I queried with a slight smile.

At his solemn nod, I dropped a kiss on his forehead and replied, "Thanks bud. I promise I'll be okay; it'll be like I wasn't even gone. Just, stick with everyone, okay? I don't want you off on your own; stick with Danny and the girls, Shane, Dale, Andrea…"

"Yeah, yeah," he wiped the kiss from his forehead, yawning.

Smirking, I called Mike back in, telling them stories about when I was in school, younger than both of them, staying with the two of them until they fell asleep. The baby raccoon was curled up at the end of Jake's sleeping bag, his little tail over his eyes. The guilt of leaving in the morning weighed heavily in my mind, a rock in the pit of my stomach, but I reassured myself that they would be fine. There were enough weapons to take care of a walker or two, should they manage to make their way to camp. And I trusted Shane and the others to be able to take care of the boys while I was away.

Climbing back outside of the tent once they were out, nabbing my crossbow on the way, I caught sight of only a few others around the fire. Rick was staring at Lori in the same way Shane did – my God, I thought the horridness was over – but I wanted to get to the sheriff before he went to bed.

"Hey, helicopter guy," I called, causing him to turn and face me, while his wife tensed immediately, wide-eyed and looking strikingly like a deer in the headlights. He gave me a slight smile and questioned, "How can I help you, Cat?"

"Just wanted to let you know I'm going with you, T-Dog, Glenn, and Daryl tomorrow…," I informed him.

Lori looked more than a little concerned – she'd probably want to have a talk with me before I left to make sure I didn't go blabbing her secret to him – but Rick gave me a once over and a frown. Obviously he wasn't all that convinced I could pull my own weight out there, but he was less upfront about it than Shane.

"You just have that gun?" he questioned curiously, "we don't wanna draw a lot of attention to ourselves…"

"I have this an' I'm not too bad with it," I replied, lifting the weapon and folding my arms across my chest, "I'll see you and the guys in the morning?"

He grinned slightly, chuckling and nodding, "Whatever you say, Cat… Wouldn't hurt to have someone who can talk some sense into Daryl with us if things turn bad…"

"Well, that's what I was thinking," I replied, offering them both a smile, "night…"

"Daryl's down by the lake," Lori informed me, an overly cheerful smile on her face. There was something in her voice, a tight, almost threatening tone, that had me bristling. Like I would be in a world of trouble were I to say anything to Rick.

Thanking her and trying to hide my unimpressed frown at her attempt at intimidation, I headed away from camp, toward the hunter. He had a small fire built up on the lakeshore, barely noticeable from the rocks built up around it – Shane had flipped earlier about drawing walkers in and Daryl must've agreed with him, though he'd never say.

Sitting beside him as he cleaned his crossbow, I looked out over the lake. Hopefully, we could get in, get Merle, and get back out without drawing any walkers, but I highly doubted it. I just hoped we could get him and get back without either leading the walkers to camp or getting bitten.

"You use that thing a lot 'fore we went huntin'?" Daryl interrupted my thoughts, looking down at my black crossbow, his brow furrowed slightly.

"Yeah," I replied, holding it up and looking the weapon over. As much as I liked my Colt, it _was_ way too loud. Most of the places we had gone before meeting this group I had used the crossbow. It was pretty beat up, as were the bolts, but I loved it too much to get rid of it.

"Here," he held out a hand for it, placing his own on the ground beside him. Wordlessly handing it to him, I drew my legs to my chest, staring into the small, dancing flames.

We sat in silence for a while, before he set the crossbow down, tossing a dirty rag to the ground after wiping his hands down.

Thanking him distractedly, I turned to him, querying quietly, "What are you gonna do if we don't find Merle? Not saying we won't, but you have to admit there's a chance… There'd be no reason to stay here, not with the people who did it to him…"

"Tryin' t' get rid of me?" he questioned, an unimpressed frown on his face. At my scoff, he shrugged uncomfortably, "If I don't kill 'em… don't know…"

Nodding, I returned my attention to the fire, "You know I don't speak for the others, but, I'd rather not see you leave…"

He reached a large hand over, cupping my waist and pulling me across the sand and to his side. He pressed his lips to my neck, his scruffy stubble tickling my skin. Closing my eyes and leaning against him, I moaned his name quietly.

"Say it again," he commanded gruffly, teeth lightly grazing my collarbone, keeping me flush against him.

I obliged him, turning my head and catching his lips with mine. The kiss was slow and soft, but steadily increased in intensity and urgency. Arms snaking around his neck, I shifted myself onto his lap. Biting my lower lip, he ran a hand up along my back, under my tank, exploring my mouth with his tongue.

I poured myself into the kiss, every inch of me he touched burning in response. Surprising me, he pushed me backward, onto the ground. Hitching the hem of my shirt up, he hoisted the suddenly stifling thing over my shoulders, abandoning it beside the weapons and the fire.

The feel of his roving hands, the cool air, and the warmth of the fire on my bare skin nearly sent me over the edge. Slamming my lips to his with renewed vigor, I hurriedly undid the buttons of his shirt, shoving it from his shoulders.

He growled into my mouth, hoisting me up off of the ground, kicking some dirt over the fire and grabbing our weapons and shirts. Still attacking my mouth with kisses, he toted me up the path toward camp until we came within sight of the tents.

He set me down on my feet and I looked over the area. Dale was standing on top of the RV, his back to us, and Jim was putting the fire out. No one else was in sight as Daryl caught my hand and led me toward his tent.

He gave me a questioning look; I bit my lip, looking back toward my own tent. If something happened and I wasn't there…

"Hey, Dale, if you need us we're gonna be campin' out in Kitkat's tent," Danny jerked a thumb toward my tent, "we'll prob'ly stay here 'til she gets back from Atlanta tomorrow…"

If I had any doubt what they were doing, the sly thumbs up Riley gave me behind her back had me grinning and thanking the Lord for my nosy friends. Glancing up at Daryl, I gave him an enticing grin, glancing pointedly toward the tent.

He smirked, pulling the flap open and tilting his head toward it. Climbing inside, I willed my heart out of my throat, suddenly a bundle of anxious nerves.

Stepping toward me in the darkness, Daryl caught my chin with a hand, lips molding to mine in a slow, passionate kiss. His hands found my waistline, thumbs hooking through the belt loops and closing any distance between us.

Sinking to our knees, he carefully lowered me back onto his sleeping bag, a hand weaving its way into my hair. I kicked off my boots, raking my nails across his back as he ran his tongue along my bare neck. He quickly undid my shorts, shoving them down and trailing hot, grazing kisses along my stomach.

Panting, I grabbed his shoulders, pushing him back and flipping the two of us over. He grinned dangerously up at me in the dark, lust evident in his piercing blue gaze. Hoping my trembling hands were less than evident, I unhooked his belt, pulling the offending things from his waist and returning my mouth to his. Lying over the length of his body, my heart skipped in anticipation as his stiff manhood dug into my stomach.

He grabbed me hard around the waist, flipping me back onto my back and bit hard on my neck. His hands found the clasps of my bra and he smirked against my skin; pulling back, he stared down at me with a predatory smirk, "Already seen you like this; I'd rather see you naked…"

Letting out a nervous, breathless laugh, I easily slipped out of my remaining clothes. His boxers went flying across the tent and I only had a moment to admire him – he was a fantastic piece of man, that much was certain.

He gave me a final, almost questioning look – silently asking consent – and I replied with a slow, steady kiss.

WDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWD

Something stirred beneath me, rousing me awake. Blearily looking over at the face of my pillow, I bit my lip to hide a smile. Daryl's hair stuck out in different directions, thanks to my roaming hands, and his neck and chest were littered with small, red bite marks. His breathing was slow and even, not like a few hours ago, when he was panting and grunting into my neck and mouth.

I was stiff and sore, certain that I had way more hickeys and bruises than he did, but completely contented. It was no surprise that Daryl was an intense lover, but he was surprisingly careful with me.

Grinning as the memories of our bodies intertwined, a thin sheen of sweat covering them, flooded through my mind, I glanced at the fabric windows. The sun had probably just risen but we still had to get ready for our trip into Atlanta.

Not looking forward to that.

But if something were to happen, at least I'd get to die happy, right? Before being massacred…

Shuddering at the thought, I rested my head against Daryl's chest once more. Pressing a soft kiss to his shoulder, I found myself just about to doze off when he shifted slightly.

He took a deep breath, before chuckling slightly.

"What's so funny?" I questioned quietly, smiling against his chest.

"Just thinkin'," he replied, amused, his voice an octave or two deeper, rougher – a pleasant thrill ran through me at the sound, "wasn't expectin' you t' wanna go three times…"

Flushing, I shook my head, burying my face into his shoulder, "Are you really complaining?"

"Hell no," he replied, slowly disentangling himself from me and sitting up, stretching. He ran a hand through his hair and then dragged it over his face, checking the sky for the time.

"Daryl."

Throwing the sleeping bag over my face, I hoped to God Glenn hadn't seen me. Not that I regretted sleeping with Daryl; I just didn't want it all over camp. At least not 'til we'd left for the city. I doubted the girls could keep their mouths shut for that long.

"Th' hell do you want?" he growled, irritated. Covering my mouth to hide a snort, I rolled my eyes; I'd never know how he went from hot to cold so quickly. Maybe he just _really_ disliked everyone else…

"Just wanted to let you know Rick wants to get going soon," Glenn replied somewhat nervously – I could only imagine him ringing his hat in his hands, "he said Cat was going; I'd better go see if she's up yet…"

"I'll do it," Daryl cut him off, his tone leaving no room for argument. Didn't really want Glenn wandering over to my tent and finding me missing, now did we? "Anyone else up yet?"

"Just Rick an' Jim," Glenn replied, "I guess I'd better go get T-Dog if you're gettin' Cat…" I could hear the young Korean's footfalls leaving the area and carefully peered out from under the sleeping bag.

Daryl was smirking down at me, "'m supposed t' be wakin' you up."

"Ah, beat you to it," I replied with a grin, running a hand through my hair. If anyone were to see me leaving the Dixon tent, there was absolutely no way to play it off like I was visiting; even though I didn't have a lot of different clothes, I had enough to change every day. Not to mention, at six thirty in the morning, the reason for slinking away from Daryl's tent would be undeniable.

He drew me from my thoughts, arms braced on either side of my head, and lowered himself, body pressed along the length of me. He wove a hand through my hair, lifting my head to meet his mouth in a warm, slow kiss.

Grinning, I wrapped my arms around his neck, giving his mouth a thorough exploration, before pulling away and retrieving my clothes. Clambering into them, I gave him a quick kiss before peering out of the tent.

Only Rick and Shane were in sight, standing around the fire and discussing the perilous mission. I could play it off like I had come from the lake, as unlikely as that sounded, and they'd be none the wiser.

Suddenly, Daryl pinched my ass and I let out an undignified squeak. One that obviously carried across the clearing, seeing as Rick's and Shane's heads turned to the tent, eyes zeroing in on me. The two men lowered their gaze, both with grins evident on their faces. None was smugger than Daryl's, though. Shoving him in the shoulder and earning a chuckle from the scruffy hunter, I climbed out of the tent and marched toward my tent, head high.

WDWDWDWDWDWDWDWD

So! Finally, right? Um, I'm nervous about this chapter and I really need to know what you all think! Not enough? Not good enough? I'm more than willing to change the chapter if it's not up to par… This is a late Thanksgiving present for you guys, an early birthday present for me! =P

Azalia Fox Knightling: Hee hee I thought it would be cute! I was gonna have them find a dog, but raccoons are adorable too! I think he was just too relieved that she came back… Glad you liked it!

WolfAngel75: haha thank you! Didja get some sleep?

xXx Tinkies xXx: Aw thanks! What'd ya think of this one haha? Oh yeah, I wasn't gonna have her go but there was so much to do with those chapters and really nothing at camp. I mean, it would have been mostly just her teaching and probably getting into it with Ed; I like her going and taking charge!

Dalonega Noquisi: Thanks! Hope you like this one too!

Grim1989: Ah I want to see it now haha! Yeah they're doing the mid-season finale; it won't be back on til February! I'm so upset!

MigratingCoconuts06: Oh yeah, when I get ticked I really want to punch someone haha! Thanks so much!

Nekuranekomegami: Thanks! Haha I love the raccoon! So glad you're liking Cat and her relationship with Daryl! Hope you enjoyed this one heehee

Leyshla Gisel: Thanks! Yeah, he was just pissed lol…

Alina Maxwell: Thanks! I'm so happy you're liking it!

Watergoddesskasey: Aw, I didn't even think of a fox! A fox would've been better =/ You have peacocks? That's awesome!

Loquaciouslethality: That's okay! I'm just glad you're still here haha! Ohh so you liked the quarry scene? Did you like this one? Heehee I want one too!

LovelySpecter: Yeah, I do like Rick, plus that would make Lori pissed at her and I don't like Lori so conflict with her would be pretty funny lol… Yeah, Daryl seems like he could get jealous pretty easily, especially after they got together =P Hopefully I can keep up with the quick updates; I have my finals week coming up so I don't know when the next time I'll update is… but that's a good idea! I love fancy names!

BLANK: Thanks for reading it! Hopefully you read the rest of it and are enjoying it!


	13. Atlanta, Part Two

AN: Hello all! Welcome back to _Chaos_! I hope you enjoy this chapter and just so everyone knows, I don't own the show. If I did, I would be an exceedingly happy gal. =D Please review; I love them!

Chapter Twelve: Atlanta, Round Two

_Only Rick and Shane were in sight, standing around the fire and discussing the perilous mission. I could play it off like I had come from the lake, as unlikely as that sounded, and they'd be none the wiser._

_Suddenly, Daryl pinched my ass and I let out an undignified squeak. One that obviously carried across the clearing, seeing as Rick's and Shane's heads turned to the tent, eyes zeroing in on me. The two men lowered their gaze, both with grins evident on their faces. None was smugger than Daryl's, though. Shoving him in the shoulder and earning a chuckle from the scruffy hunter, I climbed out of the tent and marched toward my tent, head high._

Diving into my tent, I stepped lightly over the slumbering occupants, moving toward my side of the tent. Retrieving my backpack, I almost made it out of there without waking anyone; Riley pushed herself up from her sleeping bag and gave me a questioning look.

Smirking, I exited the tent, making my way to the treeline and ducking into the woods. I had left my crossbow in Daryl's tent, but I honestly doubted that I would need it. And even if I was caught with my pants down, I had my S&W. Noisy, yes, but better than nothing.

Pulling on a pair of cargo pants, I dug through my pack for a clean shirt. As I slid on my black t-shirt and laced up my sneakers, I listened to the snapping of twigs behind me. Peering, unconcerned, over my shoulder I watched Riley and Tory stroll up to me, arms folded across their chests and smug smirks plastered on their faces.

"Yes, I know; _oh my God you slept with Daryl!_" I squealed, hauling myself to my feet and facing them, swiping the dried leaves from my backside, "thanks for staying with the boys last night…"

"First you make fun of our voices and then you change the subject?" Tory queried, appalled, "and we had your back…"

"And I thanked you for it," I replied, quirking a brow and slinging an arm around each girl's neck, leading them back to camp, "and I wasn't making fun of your voices; just... yeah, I was making fun of your voices…"

Riley stuck her tongue out at me and Tory rolled her eyes, the former questioning, "We'd ask you how he was, but you were so stingy with the kissing details, I know you're gonna shaft us on the juicy sex ones…"

"It's not like you're both sixteen or anything," I replied, shooting them an unimpressed frown, "I don't want to pollute your young, fertile minds…"

Tory 'pshh'ed and shook her head, "Like we've never heard that before… And like we've never seen R-movies…"

"Not quite the same, but nice try," I replied, camp coming into view. More people were up now, including Lori, Carl, and Danny. "But I will have you know that he was frickin' amazing." As they giggled, I shot them a silencing look; "That's all you're getting."

"You can't leave it hanging there, Cat!" Riley whined, shooting Danny a pleading look as we passed him, "we need to know! There's _nothing_ interesting going on in this camp besides you two and Danny and Amy; they're not talking either."

"You really want to know?" I questioned, hiding my smile as they both nodded eagerly, "go ask Daryl." Turning and making my way toward the fire, I accepted a mug of disgustingly strong coffee from Dale. Tory looked at Riley, the two of them turning and glancing at Daryl, who had just emerged from the tent, two crossbows and one of my socks in hand, before shaking their heads negatively.

Snorting into my coffee, I caught Shane's chuckle as he sidled up beside me. Turning and giving him an impassive look, he raised his dark brows, running his eyes over me, the dark orbs landing specifically on my neck, "Looks like someone had fun last night."

Biting my lip to keep from retorting 'yeah, Lori and Rick probably had a nice reunion', I just clicked my tongue and remained silent.

"Just wonderin' what makes him so special," he continued, staring out over the crowd, eyes searching for his former woman, "I mean, we all know he's an asshole…"

"He's no more an asshole than you, Shane," I replied easily, patting him on the shoulder and retrieving another mug of coffee. Toting it across the camp to Daryl's side, I offered it to him with a grin.

He accepted it, peering over my shoulder and snorting in amusement, "Th' hell'd you say to Walsh?"

Following his gaze, I laughed at the offended expression on the sheriff's deputy's face; as if he were ten times better than the hunter by my side. At least we didn't have a relationship on the down low, not by the way Dale, Rick, and the girls kept shooting smiles in our direction.

Daryl glowered at each of them, but his gaze relaxed on me. Holding up a bright pink sock, he smirked, "Forget somethin'?"

Grabbing it and shoving it in my pocket, I pursed my lips, "I'm still annoyed with you, sir… Why the hell did you have to pinch my ass? I was trying to make a smooth escape."

"Might as well show 'em that yer mine," he replied casually, chugging the coffee and letting out a disgusted growl.

Offering him an affronted frown, I took the mug from his hand and replied, "I don't care if you go caveman on me in your sleeping bag or in the quarry, but I don't belong to you."

"Keep tellin' yourself that," he snorted, catching my arm and pulling me close, running his hand up under my shirt, tracing my spine, "sure you're up for this?"

"No," I replied easily, accepting my crossbow from him and looking out over the crowd, "you got my back, right?"

He gave me an unimpressed, 'are you serious?' kind of look, cracking his knuckles and slinging his crossbow over his shoulder. Snorting, he mockingly queried, "You got mine?"

"Joke all you want, but I'm a kickass walker killer," I smirked, watching Mike and Jake plod out of the tent, rubbing their eyes and looking around for me, "I'll be right back."

He shrugged slightly, giving me a nod, and turned back to his tent, slipping inside and disappearing from sight.

As I made my way toward the boys, Rick gently caught my arm, giving me a concerned frown, "We need to go; I hate to say it, but I'd appreciate it if you could keep it short."

Giving him a short nod, I continued on to the tent, where Danny, Tory, Riley, Jake, and Mike all gathered, standing around nervously. Each one had a frown on their face, the girls standing arm in arm and looking anxiously at Danny.

"Well, my dears, Rick says we're leaving pretty soon," I gave them my most charming smile, rubbing my hands together eagerly, as though this was the most exciting thing in the world. That would've been last night.

"Kitkat, you better be damn careful out there," Danny admonished, giving me a stern frown. It melted into a smile as I gave him an eye-roll and he pulled me into a tight hug. Giving me an extra squeeze, he warned me, "Don't take as long as we did, okay?"

"I don't plan on it," I replied, pulling away from the boy and giving the girls a hug each, "and you; don't let him and Amy wander off alone. And if they do, make sure I don't know about it…"

"Oh, they won't get a moment alone," Tory vowed with a laugh as Riley elbowed him in the ribs. He scowled at the girls, ruffling their hair and earning harsh slaps in the arm in response.

Turning to the two boys, I gave Mike a hug, patting his head and muttering quietly, "Please keep an eye on Jake for me…"

He nodded solemnly, giving me a kiss on the cheek. Surprised, I grinned and gave him an extra squeeze, before pulling away and kneeling before Jake.

My brother watched me silently, his chin quivering. Gathering him in a warm embrace, I kissed his cheek and murmured, "Jake, I swear to you I'll be back in no time. Nothing's going to happen to me."

"You promise?" He sounded so much like a child, so lost and scared.

Leaning back, my hands on his shoulders, I stared at him, seriousness in my gaze, "I promise."

He nodded silently, giving me another hug, before pulling away and returning to the others, who had backed off just enough to give the two of us some space. Riley draped an arm around his shoulders, holding him against her, and giving me a small nod. Of course, all of them would look after my only remaining family and hell would come to anyone or anything that tried to hurt him.

Giving them a solemn, teary-eyed nod, I cleared my throat silently and jerked a head to the RV, where everyone else seemed to be gathering. We made our way toward the group, Daryl silently falling in step beside me.

"You sure you wanna go back for a damned hillbilly bastard?" Shane was questioning his friend, fists on his hips.

"Better watch what yer sayin'," Daryl warned, dropping his pack and rifling through it.

"Oh, I meant what I said," Shane replied easily, running his hand through his hair, crossing his thick arms across his chest.

I gave Daryl a warning look, one that he seemed to understand, and he withdrew a few rags, tucking them into his back pocket. He stood, lips pursed tightly, a dark scowl plastered on his face, as Rick valiantly explained why he was going back for Merle. Well, looks like Rick and I thought along the same lines; Merle might have been a damned hillbilly bastard but he was Daryl's brother and a living person. They were hard to come by in this world…

Hitching my backpack over my shoulder, I stopped between Andrea and T-Dog. The big, burly man looked sick but managed a weak smile in my direction, before turning his attention toward the others, "We're gonna need a pair of bolt cutters."

"You've got a pair, don't you, Dale?" I queried, quirking a brow in the old man's direction. He pursed his lips, tilting his head in consideration, before nodding warily.

"Mind if we borrow them?" Rick questioned, checking the rounds in his pistol. Judging by the frowns, there weren't nearly enough.

"They're probably on the roof, with Merle," Dale noted, dark eyes flitting between Daryl and Rick.

"It's like an investment," Rick mused, tucking his gun in its holster, rubbing the back of his neck, "a good faith measure."

"It's more like a gamble," Dale stated with a heavy sigh. As though he didn't trust Rick; I couldn't really blame him – we didn't know the man, really. Though from what we had seen, he seemed like an alright guy. Dale shared a look with Jim, before tilting his head to the side. He pulled Rick off to the other side of the RV, gesturing toward the hood of the vehicle.

"We don't have time for this," Daryl growled, rubbing his jaw distractedly.

I stepped closer to him, touching his arm, giving him a slight grin. If he didn't keep cool and flip on Rick or Dale, we might not get the bolt cutters and it would take even longer to get Merle off of the roof.

"So what's the plan, Stan?" I inquired loudly, interrupting their discussion. Dale looked between Daryl – the tense hunter – and me – the smallest survivor – and frowned sympathetically. He nodded to Rick, giving the sheriff's deputy his bolt cutters in exchange for the hose from the van Rick and the Atlanta group had brought.

Hiding a grin, I turned to face Rick, who rubbed his hands together, looking at the small rescue party with a solemn frown.

"Ready?"

"Hell yeah; been ready since yesterday," Daryl snapped, barely glancing at the others as he strode past them and toward the large white moving van the Atlanta party had brought back.

Andrea rolled her eyes, before giving me a small smile and wishing, "Good luck… For your sake – and Daryl's – I hope you find him…"

"Thanks," I replied, offering her a smile, before mock whispering, "and watch out for Amy and Danny; might wander off when no one's looking…"

"You're telling me," she replied with a grin, looking at the red-faced teens, "and we'll watch after all of them."

Nodding in thanks, I made my rounds, hugging the others – aside from Ed, who just snorted and glowered randomly at Carol. When I got to Lori, she held me a moment longer and questioned, "Can I talk to you for a second?" I glanced at the other three men, who were watching us curiously, and she added, "I'll make it quick."

She peered over at the others, giving them a reassuring smile, "Gonna give Cat somethin'; give us a few minutes?"

Rick nodded, turning back to the men, probably discussing their game plan. I'd rather be there, figuring out how to save my ass – and the others' – but followed Lori toward her tent, away from camp.

She rested her hands on her hips, her countenance agitated, worried, as she turned to look at me.

"I don't plan on telling him anything," I informed her, cutting off her obviously thought out train of thought, "it's not my place to tell him."

She breathed a sigh of relief, though her eyes were still concerned. Would I go back on my word? How well did she _really_ know me? I would think by now she would know to trust me, but I guess this new world was just too crazy to handle sometimes.

"I would _really_ appreciate that," she mused, running a hand through her long hair, "I mean, I didn't know… he doesn't need to know…"

"Oh, I don't think so," I replied, clicking my tongue, "he definitely needs to know… it just won't be me telling him."

She bit her lip worriedly, before glancing over my shoulder, "You should go."

Nodding, I turned and jogged over toward the guys. Smiling brightly, I queried, "You ready to go party, boys?"

T-Dog snorted and shook his head, "Hell of a party…"

"C'mon, people!"

Leave it to Daryl to get us moving; I gave a final wave to the remaining camp, blowing a kiss to my younger brother before following Rick, Glenn, and T-Dog to the van. Daryl was sitting in the back, forearms on his thighs, as he watched us approach.

"Finally," he muttered, hauling himself to his feet and outstretching a hand to me as I neared. Allowing him to pull me up into the van – I'll be the first to admit I barely top five feet, which was just over the floor of the van's bed, I tossed my bag to the corner. T-Dog easily climbed up beside me, yanking the heavy doors shut and taking a seat on the floor, resting his head against the cool metal. He was sweating; I imagined it was mixture of nervousness and the heat. I was right there with him.

WDWDWDWDWDWDWD

The van came to a halt and it took only a moment for the back doors to open. The three of us all had our hands on our weapons, just in case, but Rick looked up at us and nodded silently, Glenn at his side. Grabbing my bag, I smiled grimly down at the duo, accepting Rick's outstretched hand and hopping to the ground.

"Let's make this as quick as we can, man," T-Dog muttered quietly, looking around at the buildings.

Glenn nodded, running a hand across his perspiring forehead, "I so do not wanna be back here…"

"'t's yer own damn faults," Daryl narrowed his light eyes, stalking past the men who all eyed him warily, "never woulda had t' come back if y'all hadn't left my brother behind…"

Rick, brows high on his forehead, gave me a patient look, before jerking his head toward the prowling hunter and glancing at the others. I guess Daryl was heading in the right direction.

"Speaking of; are we goin' for Merle or the guns first?" Rick questioned calmly, taking the bolt cutters from T-Dog and snapping open the base of a fence, one we all slipped through carefully; honestly, no one wanted to get cut in a world full of mindless killers.

"Th' hell you thinkin'?" Daryl growled, casting a scowl over his shoulder, giving me an 'are they serious?' look, "we go for Merle. Screw the damn guns. All I need is this," he hoisted the crossbow and rested it on his shoulder, sauntering forward.

"Alright," Rick nodded, lips pursed in a firm line. It wasn't worth pissing Daryl off any more than he already was; the deputy was a fast learner.

Falling in step somewhere between Daryl and Rick, I almost missed T-Dog mutter, annoyed, to Glenn, "I thought you were supposed to be in a damn good mood after a hot night with a pretty girl…"

"Guess Daryl's an exception…," Glenn muttered.

Sending them both a dangerous scowl – one that had them both lowering their heads sheepishly, I took the crossbow from over my shoulder. Better to focus on the surroundings and the possibility of walkers than two surprisingly gossipy men.

"Where'd you leave him?" I questioned, stepping over yellowing, torn scraps of paper and clumps of trash, "which building was it?"

Rick jerked his head toward an enormous department store, the front doors – all made of glass – completely destroyed. Should've been my first guess. Daryl, crossbow ready and aiming for anything that so much as moved, stepped through the broken glass, keen eyes scanning the area.

There weren't many prostrate walkers, but I figured – from the lack of emotion on Rick's, T-Dog's, and Glenn's faces – that they had been that way when the trio left. Daryl looked to them for confirmation; Rick nodded and Daryl scowled, continuing on his hunt.

"We have to be careful," Rick mused, pistol out and ready.

One walker wandered toward us, one that Daryl instantly put down, a bolt protruding from its forehead. He yanked it out, cleaning it off, and muttered, "Stupid asshole…"

Hiding my snort, I turned away. Scoping out the area, I examined the trashed store, stepping over walkers carefully, on the off chance they went for my legs.

"The stairwell's this way," Glenn commented, pointing his eyes toward a threshold, the two heavy metal doors practically dangling from their hinges.

Wordlessly, Daryl led the way, scanning his gaze and crossbow over the area. He looked back at us, eyes zeroing in on me, and nodded. Rick and I followed almost immediately, mounting the stairs after him with our weapons at the ready. Glenn and T-Dog were quick to trail after us, and the five of us made quick work of the half dozen floors.

"What happens if we find him and he's… you know…," Glenn questioned quietly, catching my shoulder in a hand and looking nervously up at Daryl. No doubt about it; this boy was more than a little terrified by my hunter.

"We take care of it," Rick glanced over his shoulder, lips pursed in a thin line, before peering up at Daryl, who turned slightly.

His shoulders tensed, his knuckles white as he clutched his crossbow tightly, but he nodded. If Merle was a walker, he would never be against shooting him in the head. I blanched at the thought, but braced myself and kept my bow close to my chest, finger loosely over the trigger.

The cramped stairwell was sweltering, blood and gore littering the steps and railings, and I found myself getting more and more jittery. If walkers discovered us or had trailed in behind us, we would be trapped on the stairs. The rooftop door was chained shut, right? A locked door and a dozen – or even a few – walkers on either side wasn't an exciting scenario.

Then again, if the door was still chained, that meant the walkers hadn't gotten to Merle.

Finally, we reached the door, which was surprisingly still intact, the heavy chain unbroken. T-Dog shoved his way past us, lifting the bolt cutters Dale had loaned him. Moving close to Daryl, I gave his arm a reassuring squeeze; I would be with him no matter what happened. His penetrating ocean eyes ran over my face, his gaze unreadable; I could only assume he knew that.

Our gaze was broken as T-Dog easily snapped the chain apart. Yanking it off, he shoved the door open, pushed to the side by Daryl. Rick caught my arm, giving me a warning frown, "I don't know what we're gonna find…"

"Better hope it's good," I replied with a quirked brow, moving past him and looking around the concrete roof.

WDWDWDWDWDWDWDWD

I feel like this chapter was kind of rushed =/ What do you guys think? Please let me know cuz I LOVE reviews! If you haven't reviewed before, please do; I'd so appreciate it! And to those who have been, many thanks! Your reviews make me happehhhh!

Grim1989: I know; that would be awful! The ending was ridiculous though; super sad!

Alina Maxwell: Thanks so much! I hope you enjoy this chapter too!

Dalonega Noquisi: Thanks! That's what I was hoping for! He would totally be staking claims; if I was Cat, I wouldn't be minding! Oh, it won't be a triangle, just Lori being annoying as hell, like always lol

Spoiledrotten94: Thank you so much!

LovelySpecter: Thanks! I was hoping it would be somewhere in between =D Like I said, not the best with these kind of chapters, so I was hoping it would be alright! Yeah, Lori's ridiculous. Not a fan of her haha… I thought Winfield would be a nice one; plus I love my history haha

Leyshla Gisel: Thanks! I'm so happy! I'm not sure what I'll do with it; I might keep it at the same level, might increase it. I haven't really decided.

MigratingCoconuts06: Yes it did!

WolfAngel75: Thanks! =D

Azalia Fox Knightling: Thanks! Haha yes, had to stake his claims or they might get ideas lol ;) I thought it was a very Daryl-esque move. I know, it would be so hard to get some alone time there…

xXx Tinkies xXx: Thanks! Oh yeah, I'm super excited they're together. I'm hoping it won't be harder to write now that they are together. Thanks again!

Nekuranekomegami: Thanks! Oh good, I'm glad it was enough! Haha well, I do love my history, so Winfield was appropriate "D

Ninavs2: Thanks!

Nelle07: Haha I know! I'm so upset about it! That ending was ridiculously insane, so now I have to wait; noooo!

Loquaciouslethality: Hahah yeah, happy dances are best in private haha! Thanks! I like maintaining some kind of, I don't know, subtlety.

Watergoddesskasey: Thanks! Aw that's awesome! I love their names too!

Fly On By: Aw, I really appreciate it! I'm so glad you think so; I've been trying to keep him in character as much as possible. I love his tough side but his soft side is _so_ sweet!

Elaanabeth: Thank you so much! I love writing people with accents; it's so much fun! And I'm really glad you like Cat, too; she's how I would picture myself acting. Not crazy powerful, badass zombie killer, but trying to survive and being somewhat normal lol. Yeah, I don't like the immediate lust either; I don't think Daryl's really that kind of character. And I'm also glad you like the fade; I really am not all that comfortable writing lemony scenes, so I stuck with what I do best haha. Maybe later I'll increase it, but for now I thought it was alright. Thanks again; I really appreciate it! =)

TheSpazChik: Thanks :D Everyone seems so tense with him; if someone actually tried, I think they would be able to get along. I'm considering it; just so they know if he's capable of making it out alive. Well, I know he was planning on it, but they left too quick; I haven't considered bringing him back to camp but it's a good idea. I'm glad you liked it though!


	14. The Sweep

AN: Merry Christmas! I hope you like this present! I know I do! Oh, there's a shirt online I found that says Team Daryl… I WANT IT! Anywho, enjoy :D

Disclaimer: I don't own the Walking Dead! I do own Cat, her group, and all that jazz. PS: If anyone is using any ideas or similar story line, I would appreciate it if you don't. I know the show's not mine - use it to your heart's content, but Cat and her group are and their story is mine, so please do not use that to your heart's content. just a friendly plea. Now onward!

Chapter Thirteen: The Sweep

_Our gaze was broken as T-Dog easily snapped the chain apart. Yanking it off, he shoved the door open, pushed to the side by Daryl. Rick caught my arm, giving me a warning frown, "I don't know what we're gonna find…"_

"_Better hope it's good," I replied with a quirked brow, moving past him and looking around the concrete roof._

The light was nearly blinding after moving through the darkened building, and I squinted against the harsh Atlanta sun. Suddenly, Daryl let out a God awful bellow, startling me and bringing me running. He was kneeling beside a pipe and I rushed over to him, peering hesitantly over his shoulder at whatever he had found.

Glenn and I blanched as we stared down at a severed hand – Merle's, obviously – and a bloodied handsaw, the cuffs dangling deceptively innocently on the rusted metal pipe.

"He cut off his own hand?" Glenn sounded as flabbergasted as I felt, turning from the sight and toward Rick, running a hand through his thick black hair, "oh my God…"

"Handcuffs musta been too hard to cut through," Daryl muttered, his tone gruff to hide the emotion, sniffing and searching his pockets for a handkerchief. I reached out to touch him but thought better of it and chewed on the inside of my cheek.

He turned, sending his dark stare toward T-Dog and queried, "You got a rag?"

T-Dog frowned, perplexed, but rummaged through his bag and found one. He looked over it once, obviously wondering if it was worth Daryl's wrath if he didn't give it to him, before tossing it toward the hillbilly.

Daryl sniffed once more, dropping it over the hand, "Merle's tough as hell. Feed him a hammer, he'd crap out nails…" Gently picking it up, he wrapped it carefully and stood, turning toward the rest of us, his sky blue gaze tumultuous with emotions. He made to move toward Glenn, but the hand had him stumbling back, toward the roof's edge. Rick grabbed him, making certain that our young friend wouldn't take an untimely fall, and I stepped forward, slinging my backpack around to my front.

Unzipping it, I lifted the flap and stated quietly, "I'll carry it."

He studied me uncertainly, a frown tugging on his alluring lips, before striding over to me and cautiously nestling it down inside. Rick and the others began scouring the rooftop for any sign of Merle, and Daryl silently zipped the backpack back up.

"Don' like you carryin' this around," he mused, turning his eyes toward mine. His hands barely shook, but I caught it, and slowly slung the pack back over my shoulders.

I didn't like the idea of carrying Merle's severed hand in my backpack, either, and not just because it was creepy as hell; I really didn't want to lure walkers to me or the others, but Glenn wasn't willing and as guilty as T-Dog might have felt, he wouldn't do it either. And I didn't have to like Merle to accept the fact that he was Daryl's brother; you can't pick your family and if I had feelings for one, I had to be semi-alright with the other.

Casting a quick glance toward the others, I stepped toward him, grabbing his hands and informing him, "He's still alive, Daryl; we'll find him."

His lips twitched – whether he was going to smirk or frown, I couldn't tell – and looked out over the roof. I followed his gaze; from here, you could almost pretend like none of this ever happened. The buildings all remained the same, silent and tall, lined with windows reflecting the sun overhead. But one look at the ground below and it was back to reality, terrifying as that was.

I took his face in my hands and pulled him down to meet mine. Pressing a soft kiss to his lips, I muttered against them, "Let's go; don't you wanna brag to your brother about me when we find him?"

He snorted and leaned back, looking over me with a smirk, "He's gonna be jealous as hell…"

"C'mon," I grinned grimly, giving him another quick kiss and moving away from him, feeling a little more than weirded out with the hand in my pack. Making my way over to the roof's edge, I peered over the side. It was a huge drop, one that Merle never would have survived – I was still astounded he had _sawed_ off his own hand and wasn't passed out somewhere on the roof. I continued around the perimeter, scanning between the ground below and the rooftop itself for any sign of him.

Rick called us over; near the other end of the roof, there was a door – this door was wide open, though there weren't any gooey walker signs around, so I could only assume this was the route Merle had taken and he hadn't been discovered by walkers. At least not in the stairwell.

There was blood trailing along the steps, in the shape of a man's footprint; that was the side of Merle's severed hand. Other than that, there was no gore; I was slightly optimistic. Though I didn't want to see Merle exploding on anyone, I'd rather see him alive than anything.

Daryl led the way down the darkened stairwell, crossbow at the ready, with the rest of us trailing after him. I cast a cursory glance over my shoulder, toward Rick, who gave me a grim look. Stifling a sigh, I licked my lips and tightened my grip on the crossbow.

There was gonna be a crapload of blood loss and, even if Merle _was_ tough as nails, he wasn't going to survive long with a bleeding stump. I had a first aid kit in my pack – under the severed hand – but it wasn't going to be of much use to staunch such heavy bleeding.

The first room we entered seemed to be a sports store. With a grin, Rick informed us to pick up anything that seemed even the slightest bit useful and put it in a duffel bag which was sure to be around somewhere. A few walkers – and they were obviously walkers, seeing as they were that sickly gray color and covered in blood – littered the ground, blunt, bloodied objects by their sides.

"Looks like Merle was still with it enough t' take out these bastards," Daryl noted with sadistic pleasure, squatting and inspecting their wounds, rolling what appeared to be a broken trophy underneath all of that blood with a finger.

Shooting him a thumbs-up, I followed Glenn around the store, picking up baseball bats and hockey sticks with surprising delight. Glenn glanced at me over his shoulder and laughed suddenly, shaking his head, "Dude, I wanna see you take down a walker with a bat, Cat."

"Your wish is my command, Glenn," I smiled, jogging over to the gun case and hoping for the best. The glass counter where the smaller pistols probably would have been was smashed, all of its contents missing. The case behind the counter seemed somewhat untouched, and I moved around the counter, propping the baseball bats up against the counter.

I didn't need to search for the keys, judging by the way the door sat, ajar. Pulling it back, I felt my shoulders slump as I stared into the empty cabinet.

"Anything there?" Rick's voice was innocently hopeful and I turned, shaking my head and earning a dejected sigh from the tall, thin man. He rubbed his jaw distractedly and hitched an axe up over his shoulder, "Find anything useful?"

Hoisting the four sturdy aluminum baseball bats from where I had left them, I held them out to him with a 'voila'. He grinned suddenly, tired eyes lighting up, and accepted them from me, "Heard you were good at collectin' weapons, Cat. Shane told me about the stash you brought with you."

"I do what I can," I snorted, strolling toward Daryl and resting a hand on his arm, looking around up into his face, "holdin' up?"

He gave a slight shrug and nodded, running a hand through his thick, damp hair, "Sooner we find Merle th' happier I'll be."

"I found some bats; you can take your anger out on the next walker we find," I informed him, half joking. If he was anyone else, this would have been the part where he rolled his eyes, but I think that would be a little less manly than Daryl could handle.

Glancing toward one of the walker's corpses, I noticed a bloodied bowling ball and raised a brow, "That's an _awesome_ idea…" I peered around, hoping to find maybe an eight or ten pound ball, easier for bashing purposes, but gave up after a moment or two.

"He may not be smart, but that bastard's pretty resourceful when he needs t' be," Daryl stated, picking up the bowling ball and looking it over in his hands, testing the weight, "might come in handy…"

"I don't think we have room for that, Daryl," Rick stated, though his light eyes glinted in amusement, "let's keep movin'."

We entered another room, one that appeared to be a restaurant. I hadn't really spent that long in Atlanta, so I had no idea what it was, but it looked on the more expensive side, with broken vases, dried, dead flowers, and upturned plates and dishes littering the floor. The tablecloths were yanked from the tables, probably in the guests' terrified attempts to flee. My heart lodged in my throat, I stepped over mangled masses of what used to be those patrons, and followed the others toward the kitchens.

Suddenly, a low, guttural growl sounded from behind me and I spun around, crossbow at the ready. A walker hauled itself up from behind a table, but I didn't really give it much of a chance; shooting a bolt directly at the stumbling creature, I watched it go down with a sickening sense of pleasure. Another one out of the way.

The others, who had been well on their way into the kitchen, turned at my shot and Daryl jogged over to me. He glanced over me, checking to see if I was okay, before turning into the dining room to retrieve my bolt. He stepped around the table and, as T-Dog rested a large, admiring hand on my shoulder, turned and grinned, his tone amused, "Damn, girl, right in the eye…"

He yanked it out, glancing down at the walker and spitting on its corpse, "That's whatcha get, dumb asshole…"

Movement caught my eye from off to Daryl's right. As soon as I registered that it was a walker, one that he was completely unaware of as it reached its dirty, bloodstained hand toward him, I raised my bow again and shot it down.

He swiveled around, brows high on his forehead, as the walker dropped to its knees. Just to be on the safe side, I unloaded another bolt in its face, before lowering the crossbow to my side.

"Guess we better make sure that all these are really dead," I stated easily, peering curiously, cautiously toward the nearest mass of unidentifiable flesh.

The room was silent and I tossed a glance over my shoulder; Rick, Glenn, and T-Dog were staring at me, eyes wide in surprise. Suppressing a laugh, I made my way over to Daryl and pulled the bolt from his hand. Bending and retrieving the other two bolts – they made a sickening squelching sound as I pulled them from the walker's forehead, I pulled the stained kerchief from his back pocket.

T-Dog let out a low whistle as he and the other two made a quick sweep of the room, just in case.

Turning to Daryl, I let out a quiet laugh at the look on his ruggedly handsome face; his darkened eyes burned into mine, sending an impressed, lustful mixture of emotions my way.

Quirking an intrigued eyebrow, I smirked and cupped a hand around his neck. Leaning close and keeping my voice low, I informed him, "Told you I'm a kickass walker killer…"

His body was tense, rigid, and, as I made to step away, he grabbed my arm, pulling me back to him. Keeping an arm firmly around my waist, he all but growled, "That was friggin' sexy, Kit…"

Shooting him an exaggerated wink, I nodded and informed him in a very Daryl-esque manner, "Damn straight."

He bent to kiss me – and I was completely ready to meet him halfway, but Rick had us stilling and turning, as he quietly called, "This room's clear; c'mon."

Daryl draped his arm around my waist, giving my ass a firm squeeze, before nodding toward the kitchen; "We'll finish this after we find Merle…"

"Deal," I noted, amused, heart skipping in my chest, before leading the way toward the kitchens. I heard Daryl mutter a low _damn_ under his breath and it my tongue to keep from laughing; it wasn't every day _I_ did something completely badass to turn him on…

The blood trail had continued into the kitchen and suddenly something completely disgusting hit my nose. Wrinkling it in response and covering my face to block out the horrifying scent, "What the hell is _that_?"

I had gotten used to the smell of death – the walkers kind of did that to a person – but this was something absolutely different. It had Glenn gagging and me incredibly close to doing so. It was an acrid, burnt smell, with a definite metallic tint to it.

Rick approached a large stove, where an iron was steaming wildly. The closer we got, the more overpowering the smell became. Bloody rags lined the stove, and Rick gingerly picked up the iron, turning it over in one hand and sighing heavily.

"That's dead skin," the sheriff's deputy informed us grimly.

"Are you kidding me?" I questioned, aghast, "he cauterized the wound?"

Rick nodded and my jaw nearly hit the ground; if cutting his own hand off with a blunt saw hadn't shown me what balls of steel Merle Dixon had, pressing a burning hot iron to his bloody stump to stop the bleeding certainly did. Not to mention, I found myself feeling more nauseous than I had before. My pack felt heavier as the weight of what Merle really had gone through after being left behind hit me.

"Knew enough to stop th' bleedin'," Daryl stated, lips pursed, glancing over the melted skin, unfazed but impressed, "took out a couple walkers, took care of himself… Merle's a survivor; some dumb dead bastard ain't gonna take him down…"

Even if I hated Merle, the clear admiration in Daryl's voice had me grinning and turning from the disgusting iron.

"How 'bout a hundred dumb, dead bastards?" Rick queried, his voice hard, challenging, "what then?"

Daryl scowled but said nothing, jaw clenching as he looked over the iron once more. Outwardly he didn't look nervous, but Daryl wasn't one to wear those kinds of emotions on his sleeve – anger, yes, but before we had gotten together, I had no idea he was interested in me. It didn't matter if he showed it, though; I knew what he thought of Merle and a hundred dumb dead bastards against one one-handed man didn't look good.

So his hand was on the roof he cauterized the wound in the kitchen. Where was _Merle_, though? He obviously made it this far; I wouldn't doubt if he made it back to camp by now.

My blood ran cold as I considered exactly what that meant. If he was back there, with a lot less strong, capable men than before, there could be hell to pay. He wouldn't care if Rick – who really was the one he would be after – was there or not; he'd be more than contented to take out the others. Would he be suffering from withdrawals still? T-Dog had told me that Rick found drugs on him and Daryl had no reason to deny it when I asked him about it; that had been why he started shooting in the first place. Maybe he would be too out of his mind to realize who he was attacking; would he go for the kids?

Daryl appeared suddenly by my side, staring down at my pensive face with a prodding gaze, slipping his hand in my back pocket. His look clearly told me to spill and I kept my voice low, sighing, "What if Merle's back at camp?"

"He'd have to find a car or somethin' first," Daryl replied, his voice low, rough, but almost reassuring, "gonna have a harder time hotwirin' things than he used to… If he's walkin', it's gonna take him a helluva long time; we'll get to him 'fore he can get to the others."

Nodding, I grinned suddenly, "He hotwire things a lot?"

Daryl smirked, shrugging a shoulder and rested his crossbow on his shoulder, "After I taught him how…"

"Badass," I mused with a laugh, stepping away from him and shaking my head, turning to the rest of the group, who all looked away quickly. At least Glenn blushed over it; T-Dog and Rick just pretended like that hadn't even been watching.

"Where would he have gone from here?" I questioned, rolling my eyes and folding my arms across my chest. I could feel a blush rising along my neck and fought the urge to scowl. Why was my relationship with Daryl such a big deal? If only they knew about Lori and Shane; they wouldn't even bat an eyelash in our direction.

Rick cleared his throat and began glancing around, as though he hadn't even considered Merle being able to get this far in his condition. He rubbed his jaw thoughtfully and sighed, "Maybe we should keep checkin' each floor. It's gonna take a while, but I'd rather make sure he's not even in the buildin' before we leave it."

"Hell, don't have to do that," Daryl announced. Turning to face him, I watched him bend, peering at something through the window. He didn't continue, so the three of us made our way over, looking at whatever Daryl had found.

"Found his way outta this death trap," he stated, a smug grin in his tone, and jerked a finger toward a hole in the glass. It wasn't huge, but neither was Merle, really. Another bloody rag sat on the windowsill, where he presumably wrapped his remaining hand and broke through the glass.

"So he's outside, covered in blood…," T-Dog was grudgingly impressed, brows high on his forehead, though his lips were pursed in a thin, tight line, "if the walkers haven't gotten to him yet, we'll prob'ly find him passed out somewhere."

"They didn't get t' him!" Daryl growled dangerously, stalking threateningly toward T-Dog, who just frowned tensely at the hunter. Rick and I stepped in between the two; we didn't need this now.

"Well, let's just go outside and see if we can find him," I stated firmly, simply – no room for discussion; this is what was going on, "it's a big city; if we don't find him," I gave Daryl a hard look, one he returned easily, "it doesn't mean anything."

He stepped away from all of us, glancing once more through the jagged break in the window and the iron, before disappearing further into the kitchen. Glenn frowned and leaned down to me, "You shouldn't tell him that… what if we don't find him?"

"You really wanna be the one telling him there's no chance in finding his brother?" Rick questioned, defending my decision – something I easily could've done myself, thank you. Still, I gave him a short nod in thanks and he returned it in kind, jerking his head toward the direction Daryl had disappeared to.

Making my way into the other half of the kitchen, I watched Daryl check out his bow and bolts. He spared a glance in my direction and I raised my brows, "Want a bat?"

He snorted, smirking and giving his head a negative shake, "Not 'til I rig somethin' up t' carry it around or 'til this breaks…" He raised his bow and grinned, swinging it over his shoulder but took the heavy aluminum bat I offered him, weighing it in his hand. He took an experimental swing, brows high on his forehead in consideration. With the bow over one shoulder, he rested the bat against the other, shooting me a half-grin, "Maybe I'll give it a try…"

Laughing, I watched the others filter in, Rick at the head and looking slightly apprehensive. Oh God; what did he decide? And would I take his side over Daryl's if it was the smart thing to do? I hated crap like this before the world ended – I didn't want to have to deal with it now.

"We gotta have a plan before we go out there again," Rick announced, his mild voice on the firmer side, preparing for Daryl's reaction.

The hunter didn't let us down; he straightened, staring down the sheriff's deputy, questioning and challenging at once.

"We _need_ those guns," Rick explained, running a hand through his damp hair, "bats and hockey sticks just aren't gonna cut it in the long run. We need real weapons that can take down walkers for good; things that are a little easier to use. Some of us might not have the strength to take on a walker with one of those…" He pointedly refrained from looking at me, though the others weren't so couth about it.

"If you're talking about me – and it's pretty obvious you are – I never played softball or anything," I informed him shortly, "but adrenaline's some pretty powerful stuff. If it was me or a walker, I'd be Babe Ruth…"

Daryl snorted in amusement and Glenn gave me a grin and a muted 'alright'. Rick raised his hands, surrendering apologetically, and stated, "Still, we need those guns."

WDWDWDWDWDWD

Merry Christmas all! I hope you enjoy this update! :D Please review and let me know what you think!

Katanachica: maybe they'll come across him and he'll be a walker!

Tnnurse: I know, I need to beef them up and make them longer! I'm really glad you like it! And it's no problem!

JKovacs: That's okay! I'm glad you're reviewing now! Thanks; I really appreciate that you feel that way; I was worried all the OCs might make it difficult! Yeah, she's annoying but not psychotic lol.

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WolfAngel75: Thanks! I don't want her dead, but she does get on my nerves quite a bit. I liked her character at first, but not so much in the second season. I think I'll make her friends with Cat, though, they seem kinda similar hah. Oh, I was so hoping she didn't kill him! Yes, I understand that too with her. I just think she's very hypocritical. To me, she acts like she didn't really do anything and that it was all Shane. Hope this wasn't too long to wait for the update! I'll try to update more quickly lol

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Ziggy Mo: I'm so glad you decided to check it out! Whoa, that's really weird! I glanced at theirs, didn't really look at it too much. I'll have to read it and see.


	15. Miguel

A/N: Welcome back to _Chaos_! I hope you enjoy; I loved the Walking Dead marathon on New Year's Eve! I certainly did =) Haha, if anyone loves Daryl as much as I do, you should go to CafePress's website; there's a shirt that says Team Daryl and has a crossbow on it. I'm not ashamed to say I bought it ;D

PS: I have a poll up on my profile about the kids and the walker-camp-invasion! Please vote! =D

Disclaimer: I don't own anything you recognize; if you don't it's mine and I'd appreciate it if you keep it that way. If not, I'm going to report…

Chapter Fourteen: Miguel

_"If you're talking about me – and it's pretty obvious you are – I never played softball or anything," I informed him shortly, "but adrenaline's some pretty powerful stuff. If it was me or a walker, I'd be Babe Ruth…"_

_Daryl snorted in amusement and Glenn gave me a grin and a muted 'alright'. Rick raised his hands, surrendering apologetically, and stated, "Still, we need those guns."_

We gathered around a small diorama that Rick had concocted on the floor out of pens, straws, and anything else we could find. Crouching, I watched Glenn point out our building and where Rick had dropped the guns. Near a tank. I hadn't heard that part of the story.

_If I could get my hands on one of those_… The thought was amusing, to say the least. Imagine Daryl behind the wheel of a tank. Walkers wouldn't stand a chance.

"Hey, kid, what'd you do b'fore all this?" Daryl queried, looking up at Glenn curiously. I think, by now, we were all wondering. He knew his way through the streets of Atlanta better than any of us. Honestly, I wouldn't be able to tell you how to navigate through the downtown area of my hometown, find a bag on some random street, and then find the best way to get back to our campsite in the middle of nowhere. What was he? Superman?

"Pizza delivery," Glenn replied, eyes wide in innocence as he looked between the rest of us.

Daryl and I exchanged a surprised, amused glance, before I jumped to my feet, "Okay, so we're splitting up, am I right? We don't wanna get caught if we come across any walkers."

"Right," Rick nodded, standing fully and resting his hands on his hips, a frown tugging at his lips, "it's a risk either way-" He cut himself off and gave me a conciliatory smile, before continuing with a heavy sigh, "guess it's up to you, Cat. Glenn and Daryl are gonna go for the guns and T-Dog and I'll provide back-up; follow through down the next street just to clear a path for 'em."

He looked at Glenn and Daryl, questioning, asking their consent. Daryl simply nodded and, while Glenn didn't look too happy about going onto the streets once more, he gave a grimacing smile. T-Dog gave his solemn assent and the four men turned to me.

"Weeellll," I breathed deeply, licking my lips and clapping my hands together, idly swinging my arms, "I always did hate being picked last in gym class… why don't you rock, paper, scissors and see who gets me?"

Glenn snorted and raised his hand, looking at Rick and T-Dog, but dropped his fist and his grin at the bemused looks on their faces.

Daryl shook his head and gave an exasperated scoff, "Kit, you're comin' with us." He jerked his head toward Glenn, though he didn't look too happy about it, "If he's not takin' a real weapon, might as well have two of us who will, right?" He didn't say it – and I'm glad he didn't, seeing as it would have pissed me off – but he wanted to keep me in _his_ sight, on the off chance I wouldn't be able to handle myself. It was a possibility, but I liked to think I could take on whatever walkers came my way. Didn't want to get cocky, but I hated them pulling the five-foot-woman card.

"Okay, sounds like a plan," Rick nodded, rubbing the back of his neck and retrieving his pistol, "let's get this show on the road; I don't like bein' away from camp any longer than we have to be."

"We're gonna be out here as long as it takes to find Merle," Daryl snapped, hitching his crossbow over his shoulder and striding for the door. He did like making his dramatic exits, that's for damn sure.

Clicking my tongue, I tilted my head in his direction, shooting Glenn a grin, "Let's go find those guns."

He simply nodded, saying good-bye to the others, and I made to follow him. Suddenly, though, one of the enormous refrigerators caught my eye and I strolled over to it. Daryl could screw himself if he wanted to snap at me for keeping them waiting; why waist the chance to scour the kitchen for anything to eat? We didn't really bring anything with us, did we?

I yanked the door open, almost stumbling back at the smell. Of course there was no electricity in the building – probably the whole city – and everything that required refrigeration was absolutely rotten. Pulling my shirt up over my nose, I tried not to breathe as I scoured the fridge for _anything_ that wasn't disgusting and furry.

Eyes watering, I snapped the door shut and waved a hand over my face. Lips pursed, I turned to the cabinets, scouring the, for anything edible. I hadn't really figured the fridge would be running, but it was nice to hope, right?

Brightening, I grabbed a box of crackers from the lowest shelf, ripping it open and dropping it almost instantly. Little maggots crawled lazily through the crackers and I failed to quell a shiver of disgust. Turning quickly, I vigorously wiped my hands on my thighs, blanching in disgust. I think I'd rather look at Merle's severed hand than the bugs in the cracker box.

T-Dog hid a grin as Rick looked at the box and grimaced. Well, not everyone wanted to see those squirming devils crawling around in your food, thank you very much. Gimme walkers any day.

Wishing Rick and T-Dog good luck, I made my way along the hallway. I caught up with Daryl and Glenn, though I seemed to be the only one who had to jog to do it, and the three of us made our way down the same stairwell we had first come up from.

Daryl caught another of my uncomfortable shudders – I would have them all day, thanks to the maggots – and gave me a curious onceover. Catching his look, I flushed and waved a hand, "Don't ask."

"Wasn't gonna," he smirked, quirking a brow and moving through the department store's first floor. He had his crossbow at the ready; even though we had taken down the walkers already, more could have wandered in while we had been roaming.

I made sure to aim my own crossbow at the ones on the ground; after the incident in the restaurant, I wasn't going to assume anything. Glenn seemed to want to stand back, baseball bat in hands, but Daryl jerked his head toward the door, "Yer leadin' the way, kid."

"Great," the young Asian frowned, hands clenching around the grip of the bat, but he put on a brave front, heading toward the door.

"Don't worry; we got your back," I informed him with a cheery smile, waving my crossbow innocently. He inadvertently flinched – I don't think he was comfortable with weapons being flailed into his face – and gave me a small, nervous smile. He didn't doubt me – Daryl, maybe, if the look on his face when he glanced at my hunter meant anything; something that had me grinning, touched.

I wouldn't go out of my way to go after walkers, but it was nice to know that my new family would trust me with their lives if and when the occasion called for it.

Glenn peered out of the doorway, peeking to the left and right, like a nervous child crossing the street, before glancing back at us with an anxious nod. Daryl and I stepped out of the building after him, our crossbows up and ready. He was on my friend's left, I was on his right; Glenn could cover his front and if any walkers came at us from behind, we might all be screwed.

The sun was still bright, burning, but I ignored it, keeping myself fully aware of every little sound on the off chance it was Merle or a walker. I don't know if the others – bar Daryl – would be on the lookout for his brother, but I sure as hell would be. It was those stupid mothering instincts, I assure you; if I found the asshole wounded and bleeding on the ground, no matter what ill-advised passes he made at me, I would be there to help him.

"C'mon, this way," Glenn slowly made his way down an alley, the two of us hot on his heels. I didn't like traveling down the narrow path – it was too close; if walkers powered down toward us, there wouldn't really be anywhere to disappear into.

Suddenly, Daryl grabbed Glenn's shoulder and shot me a stilling look. We paused and Daryl crouched, light gaze narrowing as he stared at an enormous dumpster. Glenn and I exchanged a curious, concerned look over his head, but didn't speak; whatever he had seen would probably react to our voices and if it was a walker, I'd rather catch it off guard than the other way around.

Daryl stood, his footfalls surprisingly silent as he ran at the dumpster, crossbow up. He stopped, bow aimed, and suddenly, a panicked, young voice echoed through the alley. I raced over as Daryl started yelling, their words blurring in an unintelligible argument, and raised my own crossbow. Glenn almost stumbled into me from behind as we stared, shocked, at a young Hispanic kid, no more than fifteen or sixteen, cowering in fear under our deadly weapons.

"Daryl, back off!" I exclaimed, lowering my bow and earning a wild, wide-eyed look from the young boy. The hunter shot me an unblinking glare, returning his hard stare to his terrified victim.

Growling, I put a hand on Daryl's weapon and strained to lower it; he wasn't giving in, muscles taut, unmoving. The kid looked even more afraid then Glenn had, the tip of the bolt waving dangerously close to his face. Then again, Glenn hadn't been at risk of really being shot in the face…

He called out, his voice cracking, asking for several different people. Daryl grabbed him by the front of his now gray, soiled wife beater and pulled him to his feet. He shoved him into the dumpster, earning a winded 'oof' from the kid, a hand to his chest and the crossbow still staring him straight in the eye.

"Shut up!" Daryl growled, earning another round of yells for help. The hillbilly pressed his arm into the kid's neck, effectively cutting him off.

"Daryl, let him go!" I hissed, latching onto his arm and yanking it away from the poor kid's windpipe, "he's just a scared kid…"

Said kid muttered something in Spanish, a spiteful look on his face. Well, I didn't take three years of Spanish in college to be called a bitch (and a few other choice terms that I wouldn't mention – if only to save him from Daryl's wrath) without knowing, and raised my bow, pointing it at his balls, "Watch your mouth, _chico_; I already shot a guy in the balls before. I wouldn't hesitate in doin' it again."

"Th' hell'd he say?" Daryl queried, his voice an octave deeper – dangerous, sexy. He kept his arm against the kid, pinning him to rusted, metal thing, but the boy was too worried about my threat to pay any attention to Daryl's threatening tone.

Of course I wasn't gonna shoot off a teenager's balls, but he didn't have to know that.

The kid called for help again, and Daryl snarled, "We don't have time for this!" He turned his powerful glower onto Glenn, who blinked and took a step back, "Get the damn bag!"

"Felipe!" the boy called, struggling uselessly against the burly hunter, "Felipe, help me!"

I wanted to smack him over the head, if not just to shut him up, but figured Daryl had him pretty well covered, instilling the fear of God in the boy. Instead, I jogged over to where Glenn was gathering up the bag, watching as he drew more than one walker's attention.

"C'mon, Glenn!" I exclaimed in a low tone, hoping not to draw any _more_ toward us, my crossbow aimed at the nearest walker. I didn't want to start shooting unless it was absolutely necessary.

The Korean jumped to his feet, swinging the bag of guns over his shoulder and racing back toward me. He skidded to a halt, earning a frustrated scream from me, and scrambled back toward the walkers. He grabbed up a brown sheriff's hat, giving the walkers a panicked look.

Just as I went to fire, a car came blazing up between me and Glenn, a few big, buff Hispanics powering out of the vehicle. Glenn almost tripped over himself, looking wildly for an escape, but one of them grabbed him, pulling him and the guns toward the backseat as the others took out a few walkers.

Wide-eyed, I dodged one of the men, who ran at me, a golf club raised, and slammed the butt of the crossbow into his back. He let out a roar, stumbling, before rounding on me and lunging. I tripped over a rusted hubcap, losing the aim I had on him and giving him the perfect opportunity to knock the weapon from my hand, backhanding me hard in the process.

Dazed, I dropped to the ground, a metallic twinge in my mouth, my wrist burning in pain. I blinked, scrambling to my feet as he grabbed the crossbow from my lax grip and raced for the vehicle. Yanking the S&W from my waistband with my uninjured wrist, I took aim at the car, shooting a round or two at the tires. I wouldn't risk shooting at the driver, seeing as Glenn's panicked face turned in the backseat, staring at me as he silently called my name.

"Sons o' bitches!" Daryl growled, running toward the departing car, crossbow aimed but unfired. He was bruised, bleeding from a cut just over his right eye, not to mention a busted lip, but he still yelled and snarled obscenities toward the departing group.

He turned toward me, his eyes suddenly blazing, and dropped his gaze to meet mine. If he hurt, he didn't say, but cupped my face with a large, grubby hand, and stared, silently fuming, at my face. I didn't want to know what I looked like if the fire in his eyes was any indication.

A snarl caught our attention and our heads immediately snapped to the left, where walkers were hurriedly staggering toward us. Daryl caught my hand, earning a pained cry from me, and pulled me toward the dumpster. The kid was still there, on his back, staring up at the two of us with the utmost fear and panic.

Daryl slammed a large chain-link gate shut, hurriedly wrapping a chain around it and effectively locking the walkers out. It probably wouldn't hold, but it did for now and that was all that mattered.

As Daryl cursed and hollered, I rounded on the kid, who automatically covered himself with a hand.

T-Dog and Rick came running up from the alleyway we had come, weapons at the ready. They looked between Daryl, who was burning holes into the young Hispanic kid with his dangerous, penetrating stare, me – I kept myself between the two, but had my S&W trained on the boy, and finally the newcomer to our crazy little group.

"Where's Glenn?" Rick queried, his tone solid, worried.

"Why don't ya ask this prick?" Daryl moved around me, looming over the boy. He easily shrugged me off when I tried to pull him back; I winced as he did and dropped my hand uselessly to my side.

"Who the hell are you?" T-Dog queried, lowering his gun, even though Daryl and I kept our weapons trained on the boy. I don't care if he seemed innocent and scared before; his guys took Glenn and he was up crap creek with us. And there was no paddle to get up _that_.

The walkers moaned and linked their bloodied, gnarled hands around the fence, shaking and trying their damnedest to take it down. Rick's wide, blue gaze turned from them to the kid, silently making his decision. He moved quickly, dropping and pulling the kid to his feet – despite his fists and protests – and half-dragged, half-carried him back to the department store.

T-Dog ran his dark eyes over me, a questioning look on his damp face, "You alright?"

"Fine," I replied tersely, breathlessly, "let's go; the sooner he talks, the sooner we find Glenn…"

Ignoring the pain in my jaw and my wrist, I forced my sluggish legs to run after Rick and the kid. I could hear T-Dog and Daryl following me, the hillbilly letting out a continual stream of curses; he was probably tense, his face red with anger. Because for all Daryl's badass-ery, he probably did care something for the others, and not being able to keep anyone safe had to have him upset.

Rick was in the process of shoving the kid into a chair, questioning him, "What's your name, son?"

"Hey, man, back off," the kid glared up at Rick; obviously he was a lot less intimidating than a redneck and a woman threatening his manhood despite the sheriff's getup.

"Not until you tell us what happened to Glenn," Rick glared, giving the boy his best 'cop' look, before turning to Daryl and I. He shot a short glance to T-Dog, informing him tersely, "Keep your gun on him."

The enormous, burly man nodded, keeping the gun he had first taken from my stash trained on the boy. He looked between the two of us and the kid, obviously wondering what in the hell had happened. I think we all were – and Daryl and I had been there.

"Where's Glenn?" Rick queried, looking between me and the redneck, who was huffing and puffing and sending the Hispanic kid furious scowls, ones that had the boy inching back in his seat despite himself.

When he wasn't getting an answer, he turned to me, brows knotted together high on his forehead, "Cat. Cat, what happened?"

"I-It… We found this kid out there and he started calling for help," I replied, taking a deep, calming breath, "Daryl tried to keep him quiet-"

"That hillbilly bastard roughed me up, man!" the kid spat, flinching as T-Dog and Rick only _just_ managed to keep Daryl from lunging for the boy.

"Brought all those damn walkers, ya little punk!" he growled, staring down at the boy with a fiery, furious frown, "an' your punkass friends! Assholes took Glenn…"

"They wouldn't've taken him if you weren't trying to kill me!" the kid exclaimed, glaring hatefully up at Daryl, who looked fit to burst. His face was a mottled, purple color, his fists clenching uncomfortably painfully.

"_Silencio, idioto_," I gave the kid a pointed look, "_te estoy protegiendo_."

He gave me a harsh glare, ignoring my smug smirk, but snapped his mouth shut, arms folded across his chest.

"Anywho, Glenn went to get the guns," I continued, brows high on my forehead as I fingered my jaw, "thanks to Loud Mouth, over here-," I jerked my thumb in the kid's direction, "-all the walkers in the area decided to come sniffin'. Before I could do anything, a car comes pullin' up and Glenn disappears…"

"What happened t' your face?" Daryl questioned, his voice perilously calm, eyes zeroing in on what I was certain was a nice purple bruise, "sure as hell wasn't Glenn…"

"No, that was one of your big pals," I directed that to the kid, who frowned and defended, "He prob'ly didn't mean to… We don't hit women; just _pendejos_ like this one…"

"I dare you to call him _un pendejo_ in English, kid," I quirked a brow, assuring him, "and the next time I see your _pendejo_, he's getting his ass handed to him," I assured him, ignoring his irritating scoff, "By the time I stood up, they already had Glenn. They wanted the guns, Rick; he had them and that's why they took him."

"What's your name?" Rick inquired, turning back to the kid, his normally soft, pleasant gaze hard, steely. Obviously, he was leaving no room for discussion.

"Miguel," the boy reluctantly replied, "and your man's as good as dead, after this hillbilly shot Felipe…"

"You shot someone?" I questioned, more surprised than I thought I would be. Though, they _were_ dangerous and Daryl was a fighter; why wouldn't he take on this Felipe?

"He hit me with his gun; I only got him in th' ass," he replied ruefully. Obviously, if he had his druthers, the ass would have been the last place for my hunter to shoot anyone.

"You're sayin' they're gonna hurt Glenn?" Rick questioned urgently, leaning down into Miguel's belligerent face.

"That's what I said, lawman," he replied with a smirk.

"They took Glenn; maybe they took Merle, too," Daryl suggested, though even he looked uncertain. If those guys would have come across Merle, I don't think they would have been kind enough to take him in. With Glenn, they at least had collateral to get Miguel back; there was nothing in it for them if they took Merle.

"What kind of dumbass redneck name is Merle?" Miguel snorted, rolling his nearly black eyes, "I wouldn't name my _dog_ Merle…"

Daryl lunged for him, but once again T-Dog and Rick saved Miguel's sorry, skinny ass. I stayed where I was, certainly not wanting to get in on the conflict – I didn't even know if I would. This kid deserved a beat down…

Daryl shrugged the two men from him, shoulders taut and jaw clenched. Cursing, he strode over to me, digging into my long forgotten backpack. He yanked the bloodied rag from the hand and powered back over to Miguel, "This is what happened t' the last guy who crossed me!"

He dropped it onto Miguel's lap, causing the boy to let out a startled yelp and jerk away from it. The frantic glint in his dark eyes was more than satisfactory, after all of his conceitedness, and he flailed uselessly, "Get this thing off me! You're crazy, man! You _killed_ a guy?"

Daryl shot me a smirk, one I easily returned, especially when neither T-Dog nor Rick decided to tell him any differently. Maybe that would get the not-so-tough kid to tell us where his friends had taken Glenn.

WDWDWDWDWDWDWD

So, I hope you enjoy the latest installation of _Chaos_! Thanks to all who have reviewed and all who are reading! Please drop a review and tell me what you think! =) I'd love to get more reviews!

Ziggy Mo: He is lol… Yeah, I'm pissed about that; I don't know if I should report them or not.

Leyshla Gisel: Thanks! I hope you enjoy this chappie! They are pretty good together, thanks =D

TheSpazChik: Thanks! It was true, though; I think a relationship with Daryl would be so much less scandalous than Shane's and Lori's lol…

Alina Maxwell: Thank ya! I hope this was soon enough (and good enough haha)

LovelySpecter: Ah thank you! I appreciate that! I was just thinking about that; not to pat myself on the back lol. He is adorable; I love writing him =) I was hoping that Daryl and Cat had a believable relationship going on and I felt like Rick and Cat would be good friends =)

Gracie: Thanks! I hope this was quick enough of an update!

MigratingCoconuts06: Thank you! =D

Sierra: haha excellent! I'm glad you thought so! =) Yeah, I love when he does that; he's such a badass, but he can be such a sweetie!

xXx Tinkies xXx: Haha thanks! Hehe, it seemed pretty Daryl-esque, and it always seemed like she was the one impressed by him – thought I might as well switch it up a bit ha. I did have an awesome Christmas, thank you! Haha I didn't, I promise lol! =) Did you have a nice Christmas/New Year's?


	16. Prisoner Exchange, Part One

A/N: Ah so glad the show's back! I've missed it so! :D So, I do apologize for the lack of updates, but now that the new episode aired, I _had_ to! I hope everyone is still out there and still enjoying this story. Please review and let me know =D

Disclaimer: I don't own _the Walking Dead_; if I did, I'd own Daryl! Alas…

Chapter Fifteen: Prisoner Exchange, Part One

_Daryl shot me a smirk, one I easily returned, especially when neither T-Dog nor Rick decided to tell him any differently. Maybe that would get the not-so-tough kid to tell us where his friends had taken Glenn. _

As if none of us had guessed it, the kid talked. Sang, actually, like a canary, casting quick, terrified glances at the hillbilly at my side. Rick kept him on task, whenever the kid strayed or offered a smart-alecky comment, he would glance at Daryl, too, playing on Miguel's fear to get him to spill.

Apparently, there was a gang, one that Miguel belonged to, and they had seen the bag of guns on an expedition for food and supplies. Of course, they picked the perfect time to come looking for them once more, when Glenn, Daryl, and I were retrieving them. A few minutes earlier or later and we might have missed the entire confrontation and kept our young, former pizza delivery guy safely in our sights.

So it was decided; we would have the kid lead us to this gang – hopefully there weren't too many of them to overpower us (unlikely) – and do a swap of sorts. Miguel for Glenn.

Then again, I doubted it would be so simple, not when the real aim of this gang was the weaponry. I had the feeling it might be a little tougher than any of us hoped to get Glenn back.

As Rick pulled Miguel from the chair, I pulled Daryl to the side, examining his bruised face in an almost identical fashion as he studied mine. He met my gaze, his bright, ocean eyes hardened in irritation, in concern, before raising a hand to my chin, "How you feelin'?"

"I could ask you the same question, Daryl," I laughed lightly, lips pursed to one side, carefully prodding the bruise on his jaw, "we could be twins."

"That'd be friggin' weird," he snorted, slinging the crossbow over his shoulder and folding his arms loosely across his chest, "havin' the hots for you if you was my sister…"

Grimacing in overly dramatic disgust, I wrapped an arm around his waist, stepping into his waiting grasp and musing, "Yeah, that'd be nasty."

He pressed a warm, searching kiss to my mouth, a smirk tugging at the corner of his own as I eagerly responded.

"No, what's friggin' nasty is that you're lettin' that redneck asshole shove his tongue down your throat…"

Daryl growled against my lips, quickly pulling back and scowling murderously at the young Mexican, who, for all his smartass-ness couldn't keep from stepping closer to Rick. The former sheriff's deputy glanced up at me before turning, stepping away from Miguel and peering out of the window, the ghost of a grin playing on his worn, pallid face.

Without Rick to back him up, Miguel wasn't as big of a hotshot as he hoped.

Before Daryl could start a brawl with a minor – even though law and order was pretty much nonexistent at this point in the new, dangerous world, for our little group, it held strong and I wouldn't be all that pleased with my lover for breaking a kid's nose – I commented dryly, "Yeah, well, I wouldn't let anyone else do it, kid, so stop starin' at my ass…"

T-Dog let out a choked laugh, stepping in front of the red-faced, mortified kid before Daryl could lunge for him, and gave his shoulder a slight shove. Of course, for a guy T-Dog's size, that little tap sent Miguel stumbling toward the exit. Rick offered me an amused smile, opting for an appeasing one toward Daryl, before following the pair.

Daryl, his body tense, rigid beneath my touch, pulled me flush against him, his lip curled upward in a furious sneer. His eyes never left Miguel, narrowed and filled to the brim with anger and hatred, not until he disappeared completely from sight and even then his furious gaze lingered on the doorway.

Staring up at him, I couldn't help the grin that spread across my face, though I made absolutely certain to mask it once I drew his attention back to me. Giving his torso a light squeeze, I watched him slowly relax, his arms loosening from their tight hold around me, and shift his piercing gaze back to my face.

"Don't know why you think this is so funny," he commented, his tone gruff, though the majority of his true irritation didn't seem to be directed toward me, "first that little punkass bastard brings his friends an' they take Glenn, then he brings all them walkers, and friggin' stares at your ass all day…"

"I think it's so funny," I quirked a brow, smirking teasingly, "because it gets _you_ all riled up… You put the fear of God into that kid without even really trying; he can't even look at you without crappin' his pants. Believe me when I say, after everything that's happened today, that's _funny_."

Grinning pointedly at his scoff of disbelief, of annoyance, I continued, extracting myself from his grasp and drifting toward the exit, my own crossbow to my shoulder, "And besides, I let you stare at my ass all day…"

"That's cuz you think I'm friggin' sexy," he smirked, running a hand through his damp, wild hair, inadvertently spiking it every which way, "least, that's what you said last night, wudn't it?"

He trailed after me, smirking as a warm, embarrassed blush rose to my face, holding his hands out before him and stating obviously, "Don't go all shy an' innocent on me now…" He narrowed his eyes, not entirely amused as he jeered, "You should tell your new boyfriend what you were tellin' _me_…"

"Oh yeah, Miguel's _totally_ my type," I rolled my eyes, catching sight of Rick's back ten or twelve feet ahead of us making for the nearest stairwell, shifting the subject to keep the others from hearing our conversation, "you know, fifteen, scrawny, stupid-ass haircut; he's completely dreamy…"

Daryl scoffed, shaking his head as he fell in step beside me, shooting me somewhere between an incredulous and amused glance, "You're tellin' me _I'm_ your type? Me an' Merle couldn't get girls like you if we tried b'fore, no matter what that lyin' sunnuva bitch'll tell yeh…"

Brows high on my forehead, I considered it, not altogether surprised that Daryl and his brother weren't used to dating or hooking up with women like me, and grinned, "Well, you're my type now."

"'t's all I need to hear," he smirked, squeezing my ass and earning a hard shove in the arm in retaliation, tossing a grin over his shoulder as he jogged to catch up with the others, "so what'd the little brat call me? When you got all pissed off?"

Raising my hands in surrender, I shook my head swiftly, "I don't think so… I'd rather not see you rip the kid's head off before we get Glenn back…"

He narrowed his eyes and shot a suspicious glance at the kid. Closing the distance, he didn't glance my way again, barking gruffly at Miguel, "What the hell'd you call me b'fore, yeh friggin' little weasel?"

Rick laughed loudly, suddenly; I could only assume he could understand Spanish…

Grinning slightly, I jogged after the others, the crossbow thumping rhythmically – albeit painfully – against my lower back.

_C'mon; please let us catch a break this time,_ I thought, biting the inside of my lip to keep those pleas to myself, _let us get Glenn, find Merle, and get the hell out of here…_

T-Dog patted my shoulder as I caught up with them, hooking an arm around my lower back as we reached the stairwell, "Man, you know what I could go for right now? A damn cheeseburger and fries…"

Laughing, I shot Daryl an amused grin, one he halfheartedly returned, his eyes trained on the powerful arm wrapped around my body. The one that wasn't his. Damn, did he need to learn; I didn't frickin' belong to him, even as much as I liked the guy.

Still, when that predatory gaze hit me full force, I felt the breath rush out of me, more than a little flustered.

"'Kay, so beer, apple pie, cheeseburgers and fries," I jotted them down on an imaginary pad of paper, licking the tip of an equally invisible pencil and peering up at the sheriff, "what'll it be, Rick?"

"A damn world without walkers," he replied, peering over his shoulder, his bright, sky blue eyes sad despite the smile on his face.

Well, wouldn't we all enjoy that one?

WDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWD

Amy, Andrea, Carol, Lori, Miranda, Jacqui, Tory, and Riley sat around the water's edge, piles of dirty clothes by their sides. It had been a while since the others had left, the first time the two teenagers had been apart from Cat since the onslaught of whatever the hell kind of plague turned your average, every day neighbor into a mindless, carnivorous walker.

They didn't like it, hell, none of the others in their original group liked the idea of her disappearing on them, no matter how much she wanted to help Daryl. And it wasn't like they could have talked her out of it; not even Jake had managed to change her mind. Danny couldn't seem to understand it, not when she did it for a guy like Daryl Dixon, but the girls knew better.

Strange as it seemed, Daryl appeared to be genuinely interested in Cat and, for whatever reason, she returned his affection. Even before they had caught the pair kissing, Cat seemed to find her closest comrade in the new group to be the younger brother of a racist, chauvinistic hillbilly bastard. It was weird, yeah, and, as much as the girls would have liked to see her wind up with a babe like Shane, Cat seemed completely contented with Daryl.

If that wasn't the case, she would never have slept with him, right?

Tory looked toward her best friend, eyes narrowed in anxiety; it was killing her to keep her mouth shut. So far the other ladies hadn't brought it up, though, in all honesty, the conversation would inevitably turn in that direction. Still, she _seriously_ wanted to hear their reactions; the way it seemed, no one was really all that fond of Daryl and, with a brother like Merle, they didn't seem to want to get to know him. Not even Tory could get herself to admit that she actually _wanted_ to know why Cat liked him so much.

Riley quickly shook her head, a scowl on her face at the thought that her pseudo-sister would even contemplate bringing that up. Sure, they talked about it for hours on end, practically, the night before when they were certain Mike, Jake, and even Danny were sound asleep, but to go blabbing to the others… Didn't they owe Cat more than that?

As the others laughed loudly over something Carol had said – Lori informed them laughingly that they were probably better off not knowing, the girls returned to their chores, only somewhat put out that they missed out on the joke. In all actuality, they were more concerned with actually having to do laundry instead of using a friggin' washing machine.

How had people survived without them for so long?

"You know what I wanna know," Jacqui grinned suddenly, wiping her eyes as their laughter died down, "how in the world did a sweet girl like Cat wind up with Daryl Dixon? I mean, there aren't all that many other guys hanging around here but really… I mean, look at his brother; the man's horrible!"

"Well, who's to say Daryl's really anything like Merle?" Lori queried, her tone light as she defended the only other person (aside from Daryl himself, she thought) that knew about herself and Shane, "he might seem like a jerk with the rest of us, but ya gotta admit, he's not so bad with Cat… Worst thing that ever happened between the two of 'em was after he found out Merle was left behind…"

"And even that's understandable," Andrea said, though, she had to grimace at the thought of comparing her own relationship with her sister to someone like _Merle_.

"Oh my God, I think it's adorable!" Tory blurted suddenly, the soaked t-shirt dropping from her grasp and hitting the water with a splash, "come on, she never would've gone for him if he was anything like his brother!"

"So you don't think he just dragged her into his tent and went all macho animal on her?" Andrea smirked at the appalled look that crossed not only Tory's face, but Riley's and Amy's as well.

"Naw, I think it's cute, too," Lori laughed, squinting against the harsh sun and grinning, "plus I think she would've kicked his ass if he tried to drag her in against her will…"

"Shane said he caught her comin' out of his tent this morning," Carol commented, the barest trace of a smile on her face, brows high on her forehead.

"And Daryl pinched her ass," Amy snorted, clapping her hands together in amusement, "not what they were expecting to see, I bet…"

"Hey, quit your yappin' and get back to work," Ed snapped suddenly, standing from his throne of a lawn chair beneath the shade of a tall, swaying elm, "the hell do you think you're doin'?"

"Lay off, Ed," Andrea hissed, scowling up at the man, pointedly ignoring Carol's wide, fearful gaze, "we're just having some fun."

"What you need to do is shut your mouth and keep washin'," he spat, glaring at Carol as she made to defend the others. It was better if they didn't get dragged into one of Ed's rampages, not if she could help it.

"Who the hell do you think you are?" Riley spat, arms folded across her chest as she stared up at the bastard Carol called a husband.

He rounded on her, kicking a cloud of dirt in her direction and growling, "Shut the hell up; girl your age needs to learn to watch her mouth around men…"

Riley sputtered, swiping the dirt from her eyes, and Tory scowled up at Ed, her face set in anger. The others fumed, protesting and practically ordering the man from their little powwow.

Fed up, Ed shrugged Carol's hand from his shoulder and backhanded her hard across the face, sending the sobbing woman to her knees. Jacqui and Lori immediately dropped beside her, arms wrapped tightly around her and stared at the man in shock, in horror.

As Andrea stood, followed quickly by her sister, Shane immediately picked up his pace to a jog, dark brow furrowed in concern. The screams and yells had drawn his attention from the other side of camp – not to mention the others – and, by the time he had reached them, his face was contorted in rage.

Skidding to a halt beside them as Ed tried to drag Carol away by her shirt, Shane grabbed the man's shoulder. Giving him a hard yank, Shane managed to startle Ed into releasing his weeping wife, before throwing him to the ground and dropping himself over him.

Straddling the struggling man, Shane punched him hard across the mouth, mouth set in a firm, pained line at the severity of the impact. And suddenly, all of the rage he felt toward Rick for coming back, toward Lori for rebuking him, and hell, even Daryl _damned _Dixon and Cat for being able to come together when he and Lori couldn't, was focused on Ed. Punch after punch, blood spurted from his battered face and, despite Carol's pleading sobs, even Lori's concerned calls, he couldn't stop himself.

Finally, when Ed's face was completely stained in crimson, his nose crooked and swollen, Shane lowered his bruised fists, sneering and bearing down on him, "You ever lay a hand on your wife, your little girl, or anyone in this camp again and I'll _kill_ you."

Hauling himself to his feet, he spared a glance toward Lori, his heart stalling at her terrified frown. Licking his lips, he glared down at Ed once more, spitting on the man's chest and powering away from the group. He couldn't stand around and watch Carol crawl pitifully toward Ed, tears streaking down her bruised face as she tried to tend to her husband, not without rounding on the man again.

Riley and Tory exchanged terrified, concerned glances, hearts in their throat after _that_ confrontation.

"Holy shit," Tory breathed, running a hand through her hair, swiping a bit of dirt from her friend's shoulder.

As Carol continued to bawl, trying her best to haul her husband to his feet, Riley frowned, exchanging baffled glances with the others, "You can say that again, girl…"

WDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWD

Bouncing on the balls of my feet, I pursed my lips, rolling my eyes toward Daryl in irritation. He stood at my side, arms folded tightly across his chest, frustration rolling off of him in waves, his fingers tapping rapidly against his forearm, no doubt itching for his crossbow.

The pair of us, T-Dog, Rick, and Miguel stood in the middle of an intersection, not a living walker (oxymoron much?) in sight. The kid looked back and forth, a frown tugging at his lips as his forehead wrinkled in confusion.

Obviously he hadn't been the map of their little group.

"Kid, if you don't make up your damn mind, I'm kickin' your ass," Daryl huffed, rubbing his hand tiredly along his jaw.

"Dude, gimme a minute!" Miguel scowled over his shoulder, a petulant child if ever I saw one, before resuming his inspection. Running his hand over his shaved head, he shrugged helplessly, finally opting for Lower Main, headed east. "It's this one."

"Are you sure?" Rick questioned, his tone soft but demanding, "we need you to be sure; if you don't take us there and we don't find Glenn, you're comin' back home with us."

Before Daryl could comment, I nudged him lightly in the shoulder, the insult dying on his lips as Miguel himself spat, "No way, man! Just leave me where you found me; they'll come back for me…"

"Yeah, well, you got your choice," Rick shrugged, resting a hand on the butt of his gun – probably absentmindedly but still, Miguel tensed and glanced away quickly.

He did another quick glance down each street, finally sighing heavily and commenting, "It's this way."

"Lower Main or Upper, kid?" I frowned, unintentionally mimicking Daryl's stance, earning an amused, almost disbelieving scoff from T-Dog. Looking over myself, I shot him a sheepish grin and shifted my weight to one foot, hands on my hips, "If I didn't know any better, I'd think you were just trying to lead us off the trail…"

"Not anymore, man," Miguel frowned, waving us forward and stalking along Upper Main, "c'mon, it's this way."

The four of us exchanged an unimpressed glance, Daryl growling slightly under his breath, before the sheriff's deputy pursed his lips and followed after Miguel. T-Dog wiped the sweat from his forehead and scoffed, "Man, I can't wait 'til we get rid of this kid and get Glenn back…"

"Agreed," I grinned, taking off after the others, glancing over my shoulder and quirking a brow at the two.

T-Dog's shoulders slumped, staring up at the sky and squinting in frustration, before setting off at a steady jog after me. Daryl sneered, his lip curled in irritation, though he did follow, his steps slow, yet still powerful, his crossbow resting loosely in his grasp.

As he caught up with me, he shook his head, "I ain't kiddin'… this damn kid is gettin' on my nerves. He was gonna lead us the wrong way just so we couldn't get Glenn back…"

"I didn't know you were so close to Glenn," I smirked suddenly, brows high on my forehead as I regarded him curiously, teasingly, "could it be that you're not as cold-hearted as everyone thinks you are?"

"Shut up, Kit," he growled, his light eyes narrowing as he spared a dry glance in my direction, "I just don' like that they friggin' kidnapped him for no damn good reason…"

"Mhmm," I grinned, smirking and snorting, taunting evident in my teasing tone, "I think you're just a big softie…"

Before Daryl could retort – the fire in his darkened, hardened gaze told me it was bound to be a doozy, too, Rick shot me a somewhat disbelieving glance a few yards ahead of us. T-Dog wasn't so silent, rounding on me and querying, aghast, "Dixon? Soft? What the hell you been smokin', Cat?"

"Somethin' heavy, that's for damn sure," Daryl snorted, sending me a powerful scowl, amusement clearly lacking in his stern gaze, "me an' Merle might not be the same guy, but I sure as hell am like him… He practically raised me; I can be a bigger bastard than even him…" He snorted, shaking his head and turning from me, peering around the silent streets around us, "Soft…"

Laughing under my breath, I managed to catch Rick's eye; the sheriff's deputy grinned in response, a small, semi-amused smile. It didn't take a genius to figure out that I liked pushing Daryl's buttons; it didn't help that, for the most part, he let me get away with it.

Miguel stopped suddenly, turning to Rick and pursing his lips in irritation, jerking a thumb over his shoulder and commenting moodily, "This is it. G's gonna be pissed, though, that you aren't givin' him the guns… He'll prob'ly shoot your man on the spot…"

Yeah, we'd heard all about G. He was big and tough, badder than the baddest of the gang; including, apparently, both the one that backhanded me and the one that took on Daryl. Not gonna lie, I was a little nervous about the little showdown we'd be having once we stepped through the cracked, brick archway.

"Put your hands behind your head, Miguel," Rick ordered, a frown tugging at his thin mouth, raising his gun and glancing at the rest of us, "keep your guns trained on him, you hear? I don't want this G thinkin' he can pull one over on us…"

"Hey, I got an idea," T-Dog grinned suddenly, lowering his gun while Daryl and I raised our weapons. The hunter had opted for a shotgun from the duffel bag filled to the brim with some pretty sweet firearms, though I stuck with my S&W for the novelty.

"Yeah, well, what is it?" Daryl questioned impatiently, almost casually, as though he wasn't pointing a loaded weapon at a kid.

"I'm gonna go around here," he replied, grinning like a kid in a frickin' candy shop, "climb up on the wall so when they come out, if G tries anything, I can take him out…"

"Sniper style," I snorted, though Rick seemed to agree. Hell, what did I know; it may have sounded like something out of a Tom Cruise movie, but it might work to our advantage.

So, as T-Dog disappeared, Rick, Daryl, and I ushered Miguel into a round, stone courtyard, the weeds overgrown and swaying softly in the breeze. A large, metal door stood along the massive brick building, the entrance to Miguel's little gang.

"Keep your hands on the back of your head and keep your mouth shut, you hear me?" Rick ordered, his tone firm, serious, "if you don't I might just let Daryl kick your ass like he keeps promisin'…"

Miguel nodded quickly, complying with Rick's demand almost immediately and causing a swift, haughty smirk to cross Daryl's face. Fighting the urge to chuckle and roll my eyes, I kept my S&W on Miguel's back as we came to a halt before the door.

Now we waited.

WDWDWDWDWDWDWD

So! What do you think? Please let me know, I'm literally begging you! =) What I'd absolutely LOVE is for everyone who's got it on their alerts or as a favorite to review, but I know that's asking a lot! But they do make me happy and prompt me to update quicker lol... So, I don't know how I feel about the scene back at camp; I wanted to throw that in there but I don't know how it worked out.

Leyshla Gisel: Thanks! I know, I love that part! He's just so badass… Oh which one did you pick? I wore my Team Daryl one last night haha!

Dalonega Noquisi: Thank you so much! Ah I hoped they came off as realistic! They're just too cute together!

LovelySpecter: I know! It was so shocking! I'm so glad you love it! I haven't but I'm definitely going to get it on Netflix lol! Does he have an Irish accent? Cuz that would just make him even more droolworthy!

TheSpazChik: Haha I know! It's hilarious! Yes, Daryl was totally in the right on that one haha

Sierra: He so is! I know, I'm excited for that part!

xXx Tinkies xXx: Ah thank you! I know, he's gonna get beat, though I can't decide if Cat should get him back or Daryl! Haha thanks so much and glad to hear it! =) Hope you liked this chappie too!

Aoi Nami-chan: Me too! Hope you like it!

Melodytaylor85: Thank you so much! I know, he's just such a little punk lol… Haha I think I'm gonna have Cat tell him what it means =P Ahh, yes, if they look like Norman Reedus then they're automatically amazing haha! Hope you like this chapter too!


	17. News

Hey everyone! I'm so sorry I haven't updated in a while! I've been super busy with work and writing my own novels. Speaking of, I need to do a little self-promotion! I have written and published an ebook on Kindle called Running. It's a paranormal romance set in Gettysburg, PA. The main character is a medium on the run from killers who she helped put behind bars. If you like my style and want to help support a fledgling author, please check out Amazon and search for the author Cara McKay and the title "Running". It will soon be available for Nooks and other e-readers. Please check it out and let me know how you like it! I'll put the URL on my homepage for those who want it =D

And hopefully I can update this soon!

Thanks a bunch!

~Lift the Wings


	18. Prisoner Exchange, Part Two

Forgive the late update! As mentioned, I've been very busy… I've got a book published on Amazon called Running. You should check it out; it's very good if I do say so myself… Anyway, in the spirit of Saint Patty's Day (Murphy MacManus) and the season finale, here we go!

Disclaimer: I do not own _the Walking Dead_!

Chapter Sixteen: Prisoner Exchange, Part Two

_"Keep your hands on the back of your head and keep your mouth shut, you hear me?" Rick ordered, his tone firm, serious, "if you don't I might just let Daryl kick your ass like he keeps promisin'…"_

_Miguel nodded quickly, complying with Rick's demand almost immediately and causing a swift, haughty smirk to cross Daryl's face. Fighting the urge to chuckle and roll my eyes, I kept my S&W on Miguel's back as we came to a halt before the door._

_Now we waited._

It didn't take long for them to exit the building; there were four of them in total – one was shorter, with a shaved head, and the others were bigger, buffer. I recognized the one that backhanded me immediately and fought the urge to point him out to Daryl… We didn't need a shootout just yet.

"You're G?" Rick questioned, his brow settled, his jaw clenching as he stared down at the smaller man.

G didn't seem too impressed with our showing – then again, a tall, thin sheriff, a dirty hillbilly, and a five-foot tall woman left a lot to be desired when you were backed up by three massive men. And I had the feeling they weren't alone in that factory or whatever it used to be.

"Yeah, man; the name's Guillermo," he noted, squinting at the sheriff, arms folded loosely across his chest as he regarded Miguel coolly, "looks like you've got my man… And my guns…"

"You'll get yours back when we get ours," Rick stated seriously, holstering his weapon but glancing at Daryl and I with a furtive frown – we wouldn't be dropping ours anytime soon…

"And the guns?" G persisted; to be honest, he didn't sound all that concerned that we had Miguel; had to the whole tough-guy thing going on. The air was swimming with testosterone and I had to admit, it was giving me a bit of a headache.

"G!" Turns out Miguel heard the disinterest in his buddy's voice, "man, don't do this!"

"You get your man if I get my guns," G stated, ignoring the kid; if he hadn't insulted my friends and took one too many looks at my ass, I'd feel sorry for him. But you don't call my hillbilly an asshole and get away with it…

"I don't see what you've got to bargain with," Rick noted lightly, sparing a glance up at the rooftop; T-Dog had Miguel in the scope of his rifle. I chanced a glance at Daryl; his startlingly penetrating eyes never left the Mexicans, a furious scowl on his face as he maintained the gun on Miguel's back.

The smirk that stretched across G's face had me shifting from foot to foot, though I never lowered my S&W. The man who had hit me ran his eyes along my form, a slight, lecherous grin slipping across his face. He shot me a wink – I could only assume Daryl didn't see him, seeing as he wasn't unloading his shotgun on the man – earning a disgusted sneer in response. He chuckled then, and I noticed Daryl stiffen from the corner of my eye, his dark eyes darting toward me before flicking back to that bastard. Maybe he'd keep a closer eye on him than the leader.

Whatever G had said had Rick glancing up; following his gaze, I frowned as I watched a few men shove Glenn toward the factory roof's edge, blindfolded and gagged. T-Dog lowered his gun, offering Rick a questioning glance before turning back toward our bound friend.

"Damn," I muttered, lips pursed as I heaved a heavy sigh; any leverage we might have had with Miguel had just flown out the window. We could probably trade a few guns and Miguel for Glenn – and I would never say he wasn't worth it – but that would put us at a serious disadvantage.

"_Te ves buena, mama_," the one who had hit me noted, the corner of his mouth twitching up in a cheesy, haughty grin, "_puedo hacerte gritar_."

"G!" I snarled, turning my weapon from the kid to the bastard before me, "if you don't keep your man on a leash, I _will_ shoot his balls off!"

"Th' hell'd he say?" Daryl growled low in his throat; if the situation wasn't so dire, I'd take the time to enjoy the chill that ran through me. His eyes darting from me to the man, his arms and shoulders taut as he gripped tightly at his gun; he wanted to go for the asshole, no matter what he said, but he wouldn't turn his weapon from the intended target. Not unless I gave him the okay, it seemed.

"Calm down, Daryl!" Rick exclaimed as G grabbed onto the man's arm and spat something low enough that I couldn't hear him.

Fuming, I scowled darkly at the man; he had shut up, at least for the moment, and that was as much as I needed just yet. Daryl barked his question again, taking a step toward the group; everyone lifted their weapons, including the men on the roof with Glenn.

After a moment of deliberation – I'd've liked to see Daryl take him out, if I didn't do if first – I called out softly, seriously, "It's okay, Daryl…"

"Like hell it is," he snarled, but took a step back, returning his shotgun to Miguel's back. He shot me a glower, his jaw clenching, his look clearly noting, _You're friggin' gonna tell me what he said…_

"Your man for mine and the guns," G reiterated, taking half a step before the man, if only to keep him getting in a fight before the deal could go through, "that, or no deal, man…"

"G!" Miguel exclaimed, a catch to his voice as Rick latched a hand around his shoulder, tugging him backwards, "man, don't do this!"

"Sorry, _chico_," G called, a twinge of regret to his voice as Rick pulled him back through the courtyard.

Daryl and I backed away, keeping our weapons trained on the others as T-Dog descended from the roof. The man still leered at me in a way that had Daryl nearly flipping shit; still, to keep from having all hell break loose before we could get Glenn back, the pair of us kept our mouths shut.

"Think about it, _chica_," the man called out, winking at me once more.

"Shit," Daryl growled under his breath, his knuckles white as he nearly broke the shotgun in his hands, probably wishing instead that it was the man's neck beneath his fingers. Still, he couldn't keep from calling out furiously, "Better watch your back when we come back, asshole…"

"Daryl," Rick warned, scowling and shooting me a pleading glance.

"C'mon, Daryl," I muttered, taking a step closer to him as we backed through the threshold; just before we passed through, I watched G and his men retreat into their fortress. His eyes never left Miguel, something akin to regret flashing through his dark eyes – at least he disliked the idea of leaving his boy with us.

Finally safe, Daryl lowered his gun and stalked toward me, catching my upper arm in his strong grasp and tugging me away from the building. He ran his darkened eyes over me, a sneer tugging at his frowning mouth as he queried tersely, "Th' hell, Kit? Don't make me go lookin' fer a friggin' Spanish dictionary… what th' hell did he say?"

"Ah, remind me to tell you on the way back," I commented with what I hoped was an appeasing grin, my dark eyes impossibly innocent, "I don't want you stormin' back in there and gettin' yourself killed…"

The answer didn't satisfy him, not in the least, but a furious scowl in Rick's direction didn't get him anywhere. T-Dog appeared beside our little group, noting Daryl's rigid, frustrated stance and giving him a wide berth.

"Said she looked good!" Miguel exclaimed suddenly, causing Rick to yank painfully on his arm, panic flashing through his bright, blue eyes, "said she'd make her scream!"

T-Dog practically had to tackle Daryl to keep him from charging back into the courtyard, nearly dragging him kicking and screaming back the way we had come. Offering Rick an apologetic frown – he didn't seem altogether surprised, not with as hot a temper as Daryl had – I slapped Miguel up the side of the head as I passed.

Of course he wanted Daryl to go running back in there, gun blazing. He'd be lucky if he made it back to his friends after this.

We didn't return to the restaurant we had come from; instead, we opted for what looked to be an old construction office. Miguel was handcuffed to a chair again, gagged and kept a good distance from Daryl, while the rest of us crowded around a dusty old desk.

"What are we gonna do?" T-Dog questioned, his tone tight, his jaw clenching as we weighed our options.

"We go back for Glenn," I replied immediately, dropping myself onto the corner of the desk, "give them some guns if we have to…"

"The guns're like gold, though," Daryl replied, his tone somewhat uncertain; I couldn't imagine he would really want to leave Glenn with the gang, not after he had fought to save him in the first place, but it was a valid point. "Are you sure you wanna give 'em up for Glenn?"

Still, I didn't have it in me to agree with him, even if I did on some level.

"What life I have I owe to him," Rick replied resolutely, shooting me a questioning glance, almost as though he were looking for my support. Well hell, I'd give it to him on this one. "We can't leave him there."

"So what do you plan on doing?" T-Dog queried, fists propped up on the desk, looking between the three of us carefully, "Daryl's right, man, the guns are worth more than anything… How are you gonna make G change his mind?"

"We don't," I replied with a cheery grin, crossing a leg over one knee, hoping I looked far less nervous than I felt as all eyes fell on me. Honestly, I certainly didn't want to go back there and take each and every one of them on with just a pistol, but it was Glenn we were talking about. And if worse came to worse, we'd have those extra guns strapped to our backs and get them before our bullets ran out.

"What do you mean?" Daryl queried, his tone gruff, irritated. He still hadn't lost that agitation from Miguel's comment; he had been pacing back and forth behind the desk, shooting the kid murderous glances every now and then.

"I mean that hopefully they won't call our bluff," I replied, tilting my head to one side, turning to Rick as they processed my comment and querying lightly, "can I have one of those shotguns? I always wanted to use one…"

"You're suggesting we go back in there and take 'em on?" Rick questioned, his brows high on his forehead, sharing a skeptical glance with T-Dog, "and what if that doesn't turn out well for us? I just got my wife and son back…"

"I know, and I have a brother back at camp who saw me shoot our parents in the head," I replied seriously, "I'd hate to go back there and tell him that I let them keep Glenn because we wanted to keep the guns… I don't think he'd take to Miguel like he did to Glenn…"

"It's risky, Kit," Daryl noted seriously, hit tone low, fervent, casting a disgusted look at Miguel, "we could get killed."

Recognizing it as code for _you _could get killed, I simply offered him a soft smile, "Well, I think he'd be worth it, don't you? You might even get a chance to kill that asshole that wants my bod if we _do_ have a shootout…"

"I agree with Cat," Rick stated after a moment, offering me an approving smile, removing his gun from his holster and checking the chamber. He hooked a rifle over his shoulder and tossed me my requested shotgun, "That's different from a pistol; think you'll be alright?"

"Course," I replied with a cocky grin, pumping it and resting it over my shoulder, "I've seen plenty of movies…"

"Not quite the same," Daryl mused with a furrowed brow, though his eyes flashed intensely, smoldering in the dim light. Ah, my badassery turned him on, did it?

_Vice versa, babe,_ I snorted, staring down the barrel and giving the gun a quick aim, the room immediately taking on another ten degrees as he continued to watch me.

"Well, we don't have much of a choice," Rick stated, tossing a few more guns to the others, shooting me a reassuring grin, "think of it as on the job training…"

"Oh, don't worry about me, Rick," I smirked, slinging the gun over my shoulder and tucking my pistol in my waistband, "I think I'll be alright…"

"You better be," Daryl scowled slightly, halting in his pacing and stalking up to me. Hooking an arm around my waist, he pulled me to him, the pair of us nose to nose as he commented gruffly, "Get yerself killed an' I'll kick your ass…"

"And here I thought you were better than that," I teased, my tone low as I cast a glance toward the others. Politely finding something to distract them, Rick and T-Dog unlatched Miguel and dragged him from the room.

"Hell, you'd have ta be dead b'fore I ever laid a hand on you," he replied, his deep, cerulean eyes narrowing slightly as he cupped a hand around my cheek, a thrill running through me at his words, "you sure you're up fer this?"

"You're not the only badass here," I grinned, wrapping my arms around his neck and pulling him down to my level, pressing my lips firmly against his.

"Seems that way," he replied between kisses, tracing my lower lip with his tongue, running his hands along my sides, down to my backside, "you're friggin' sexy, ya know that?"

"Pi_shaw_," I drawled, guiding his face to my neck; he didn't hesitate to run his tongue along my pulse, grazing his teeth against my skin, "you don't need to tell me twice… I'm the biggest babe you're gonna find in this new zombified world…"

"Hell yeah," he hooked an arm under my leg, wrapping it around his waist as his manhood dug into my stomach, "this place got a back room or somethin'?"

"We have to go save Glenn, remember?" I queried breathlessly, though I made no move to pull away from him, tugging at the hem of his shirt, "and I'm not all about quickies in the break room…"

"Just once?" he queried, hooking my other leg around his waist and nearly shoving me into the wall. Moving his lips to my neck, he growled against my skin, "That asshole ain't got nothin' on me…"

"I'm the last person you have to prove yourself to, Daryl," I pulled his head back to mine, fisting a handful of his hair and tilted my head, contemplatively, "I wouldn't _mind_…"

As he made to unhook my bra, someone cleared his throat and noted, amusement lacing his slight, Southern drawl, "We don't have a lot of time, you two…"

"Damn it, if you don't give us a few friggin' minutes I'm gonna shoot _you_," Daryl growled, irritation rolling from him in waves, never withdrawing his face from my neck. Still, he didn't undo the clasp just yet, obviously waiting for Rick to head back the way he'd come. He obviously didn't mind being caught in mid make-out session, ready to rip a gal's clothes off in front of a sheriff's deputy…

I had a little more self-consciousness, apparently, because I reached for his hand and pulled it from my body. He put up more resistance than I had expected, but did let me go, his hands wrapping around my thighs and setting me to the ground.

Swallowing thickly, I peered around his shoulder and gave Rick a sheepish frown, "_Really_, Rick?"

He had the decency to look somewhat chagrinned, rubbing his hand along his jaw and shrugging a shoulder, "You wanna explain to Glenn why it took us longer to get him back? I don't think he'd be too thrilled to find out why…"

"Damn chink," Daryl groaned, putting a good bit of distance between the two of us, keeping his obvious manhood out of sight of the sheriff's deputy. I'm sure if Rick noticed, he wouldn't have mentioned; the two of us had gotten a little more than into each other if we were about to have sex against a wall…

Slapping Daryl's chest, I fought the urge to fan myself, every nerve in my body tingling at our little head-to-head, "Hey, now…" He hadn't addressed Glenn as a chink for a while; id preferred it when he wasn't being an asshole…

He merely squinted at me, his lips pursed as he powered back to the desk, retrieving his weaponry and pointing a threatening finger at Rick, "Let's get this over with."

He stormed from the room, rubbing at the back of his neck as he went, leaving Rick and I to share a sheepishly awkward glance. Grimacing, I patted his shoulder as I passed, my steps quick as I nearly raced from his side. God, I _had_ to get caught in a compromising situation like that, didn't I?

At least it wasn't as big as Shane and Lori…

WDWDWDWDWDWD

As we found ourselves outside of G's fortress once again, our weapons aimed at Miguel's back, I hoped Daryl didn't take out his frustration on that asshole… I mean, I know we got interrupted and he _had_ offered me a good time; what more could a hot-head ask for as a release for his anger?

The stronghold's doors opened and Rick shoved his gun into Miguel's back, ushering him inside. T-Dog was quick to follow, his face set in concentration, leaving just Daryl and I outside. We exchanged a quick, meaningful glance, before Daryl nodded toward the door; the intensity in his dark gaze surprised me into silence as I brushed past him, a flutter in the pit of my stomach as he fell in step behind me.

_Horrible place for me to have fuzzy feelings,_ I rolled my eyes upward, watching as G and a dozen or so others came into view. I trained my gun on the guy to G's left, leaving the bastard that came onto me for Daryl.

"What the hell, man?" G questioned, peering at Rick, who had the rest of the guns slung across his back in that massive, laden black bag.

"You said to come locked and loaded," Rick stated resolutely, lifting the gun as he shoved Miguel toward the others, "we're here…"

The men G was with raised their weapons; I didn't like staring down the barrels of nearly fifteen guns – well, I had been the one to suggest it, hadn't I? I couldn't back out of it now, no matter how badly I wanted to piss myself.

Daryl remained motionless by my side, his gun raised beside my face; there was absolutely no doubt who he had his weapon trained on.

"Are you sure you wanna do this?" G questioned, his own gun trained on Rick as someone shuffled Miguel further back into the crowd, "there's only four o' you…"

"We'll take our chances," Rick replied seriously, his bright eyes staring down the barrel of his rifle, "we want Glenn back and you aren't getting the guns…"

Almost every safety in the room went off, a loud, echoing sound that had me nearly starting in my spot. Still, my gun remained unwavering as I stared down at the one that Daryl shot in the ass – I had to smirk as the man favored one leg, glaring daggers at the hunter beside me.

Before anyone could let off a shot, the tiniest, frailest voice called out from the group, calling for Felipe. The man Daryl shot turned slightly, a sheepish, startled expression crossing his face as he shooed her away, "No, _abuela_…"

"Felipe," she called again; as she came into view, I immediately dropped my gun to my side, my jaw going slack as I stared at a woman who was a bit shorter than me, her thin, white hair hanging limply around her shoulders. She was wearing nothing but a white nightgown and slippers, pushing through the men and latching onto Felipe's arm.

Daryl tensed beside me, keeping the barrel of his gun away from the woman but never lowering it. The four of us exchanged startled glances, my eyes wide in astonishment. In a group of tough, tattooed gang members, a little old woman, Felipe's grandma, almost walked right into a showdown.

"Mr. Gilbert needs help, Felipe," she stated, her tone tired, weary, before she caught sight of Rick. Terror seized her as she approached him; he immediately dropped his rifle to his side as she begged, "Please, _señor_, don't arrest Felipe… He's a good boy; he wouldn't do anything wrong…"

"Ma'am, we're just here looking for a friend of ours," Rick replied, his tone riddled with surprise as he spared me a wondering glance, "his name is Glenn and we needed Felipe to help us find him…"

"The Asian boy?" she queried, a hint of recognition in her tone as she smiled and grabbed onto Rick's arm, leading him through the crowd and noting, "he's such a nice boy…"

Rick shot G a furious scowl as he passed, the leader of the so-called gang dropping his head in chagrin, as the old woman tottered along and rambled on about Glenn, her darling grandson, and Mr. Gilbert.

Daryl shoved a threatening finger toward the one who had hit on me as we passed, making absolutely certain to put himself between the two of us, his arm brushing against mine as we followed after Rick and Felipe's grandmother.

T-Dog brought up the rear, followed by G and a few of the others – thankfully the bastard had stayed behind, keeping my hunter from murdering anyone just yet.

My head spun as we went further into G's fortress; it seemed to be a hospital or home of some sort, the patients all elderly and almost all of them sick. Felipe's _abuela_ looked the healthiest of them all and that wasn't saying much.

Grabbing Daryl's arm, I pulled him close, astonishment lacing my tone as I queried sharply, "We almost shot up a bunch of people in an _old folks' home_?"

"Looks like it," he replied gruffly, keeping his tone calm, indifferent, though I'm sure we'd be hearing about it once we left.

"Hell," T-Dog muttered, running a hand over his face as I turned to peer up at him, "we almost shot up an old woman…"

She led us into what looked like a cafeteria of some sort, where an old man was wheezing and coughing, reaching for the inhaler Felipe had retrieved for him. Low and behold, Glenn of all people stood around the man with the other worried patients, his hat in his hands as he stared at the choking man.

"What the hell?" Daryl muttered, confusion lacing his tone as we reached the group.

Glenn peered up at us, unsurprised and relatively unconcerned at our arrival, "Mr. Gilbert's having an asthma attack; he needed his inhaler…"

As Rick dragged G away from the group, lighting into him for nearly getting us all killed, I shoved Glenn hard in the shoulder, "You're an asshole…"

Glenn's brow furrowed as he looked, panicked, between Daryl and I, "What are you talking about?"

"We thought they were gonna kill you," I retorted, folding my arms across my chest and scowling, "the least you could've done was act like they roughed you up a little… first thing you say when we see you is 'he's having an asthma attack'…?"

Glenn shrugged sheepishly and replied quietly, leading the three of us away from the elderly patients, "They have no idea what's going on out there. G and his guys take care of them; and they're not even trained to… They didn't want to leave them here…"

"So they're not as tough as they look," Daryl mused, slinging his rifle over his shoulder and glancing back at the others, "shoulda friggin' known… That Miguel's the biggest pussy I ever saw…"

"They're just trying to stay alive," Glenn replied, shrugging and holding his arms out to me, beckoning me toward him with a grin for a hug, "I'm sorry, Cat…"

Swatting at his hand, I stepped into his hug anyway, laughing slightly, "It's good to see they didn't kill you, Glenn…"

He laughed and stepped away from me as Daryl let out a huff, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly and gesturing toward the three chihuahuas in a little doggie bed, "Those're they're guard dogs…"

"Scary," I noted dryly, watching as Rick and G returned from wherever they had held their little heart-to-heart. G tossed a few of our guns to his men and nodded toward Rick.

When the sheriff's deputy returned to our group, he sighed heavily and stated, "Let's go. We've gotta get back to the others… and find Merle…" Ah, he made the right choice, tacking that on the end as Daryl scowled dangerously at him.

"_Chica_," G called suddenly, guiding Felipe's grandmother over to me and noting quietly, "she wanted to tell you something… And I wanted to apologize for Jose… He's an asshole; he just likes to get people riled up…"

"Tell him to keep his mouth shut next time," I muttered, turning to the old woman as she latched onto my arm and led me from the men, putting a finger to her mouth as we went. Allowing her to lead me toward a hallway, where the bedrooms were located, I followed her into what I assumed was her room.

"I have something for you," she smiled up at me, her dim eyes twinkling in what little light poured through the boarded windows. She moved to her dresser, rifling through her belongings and explaining, "It's always been a tradition in my family for young women to give their men something special."

She returned to my side, a beautiful silver cross in her hands; she held it out to me and continued as I gaped at her in silence, "He needs protection; the world is dangerous now and he will try to save you. Take this, give it to him when you tell him, and make sure he always has it with him."

Somewhat hesitant, I queried slowly, "Tell him what?"

"What you need to tell him," she beamed, dropping the cross into my hand and folding my fingers around it, "do not worry about it now; the time will come… It served Felipe's _abuelo_ well and it will serve your man well, too…"

Overwhelmed with gratitude, I wrapped my arms around her and pressed a kiss to her cheek, "Thank you."

She patted my back before shooing me back to the hallway, "Come, come, you must leave, now."

Hanging the thick, ornate cross around my neck, I tucked it into my shirt for safe-keeping. If anything, I wouldn't break my word to this old woman; Daryl would get the necklace at some point, when I was ready to tell him whatever she assumed I had to say.

The four gave me an eerily similar probing glance as I returned to the cafeteria, Daryl's complete with a few new bruises lining his face. A quick glance toward G had me realizing Jose looked a little worse for the wear, as well.

Felipe's grandmother caught my arm and noted softly, eyeing Daryl curiously, "He may need that sooner than you think, _chica_."

"I'll be sure he gets it," I laughed, giving her a final hug and drifting over to the others. Ignoring their questioning glances, I jerked my head to the exit, noting lightly, "Ready?"

Rick nodded, leading the way as we swiftly made our way through the building. One of G's men locked the heavy, steel door behind us and left us vulnerable once more.

WDWDWDWDWDWD

The entire way back to the van, the four questioned me about Felipe's grandmother. Rick stayed silent for the most part, querying here and there, but left me to myself. Only he snickered when I noted that Felipe's grandma had been telling me about all the times she and Mr. Gilbert got freaky when the others weren't around.

"Can't believe you gave up half our guns," Daryl noted, shifting the attention from me for a moment. It wouldn't last but I breathed a sigh of relief anyway.

"They needed them," Rick replied nobly, stopping short as he peered at the very spot we had left the van. Double checking, I ran my eyes over the department store we had entered when we first searched for Merle.

"Merle," I breathed, gnawing worriedly at my lip. If he got the van, there was no way we'd beat him back to camp, not by a long shot.

"He's gonna be bringin' some vengeance back to camp," Daryl stated, casting a concerned glance in my direction.

Rick cursed under his breath and sighed, "We're gonna have to hoof it, then…"

"God, I suck at running," I rolled my eyes upward, slinging my shotgun around my shoulders as we made for camp.

WDWWDWDWD

So, who thought tonight's episode was cray-zay? What are we gonna do without it? Please review, tell me what you think! And, should any of you feel the need, please check out Running – the link is on my profile page and I would be _so _grateful if you all bought it. Help a sista out =D

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	19. Vengeance

A/N: Sorry I haven't updated for a while. Been busy writing and trying to sell books =D You should check it out on Amazon! Oh, and I started a Boondock Saints fic; it's called Sweet Undoing!

Disclaimer: I don't own _the Walking Dead_, but if I did, it would be amazing! Oh Daryl…

Warning: Some swearing, some sadness... enjoy...

Chapter Seventeen: Vengeance

"_He's gonna be bringin' some vengeance back to camp," Daryl stated, casting a concerned glance in my direction. _

_Rick cursed under his breath and sighed, "We're gonna have to hoof it, then…"_

"_God, I suck at running," I rolled my eyes upward, slinging my shotgun around my shoulders as we made for camp. _

WDWDWDWDWDWD

It was a warm evening, the air cooling off just enough to keep the group around the fire as they ate the fish Andrea and Amy caught that afternoon. Shane was telling everyone a story, sitting close to Lori and Carl but grimaced every time he glanced across what seemed like an enormous chasm between them.

Still, he told on; he didn't know why he was telling them all a story about Rick; hadn't he pictured his face on Ed's when he was beating the living shit out of him? Still, the words flowed from his mouth and a sad grin tugged at his lips. Lori refused to look at him, but he had Carl's rapt attention, the young boy grinning broadly at the story of his father.

The night was full of laughter and surprisingly delicious food.

"Why the hell is this so good?" Jacqui queried suddenly, practically hugging the fish to her chest, "I don't even _like _fish…"

"Prob'ly all the canned corn and crap," Danny laughed, nudging Amy in the arm and giving her a slight peck on the cheek. Andrea, ever the observant sister, grinned and barked, "Hey!"

The pair snapped apart, exchanging sheepish glances as Amy shot a dark frown toward her sister. Andrea simply laughed and exchanged an amused glance with Morales, who shook his head and laughed.

"Or the squirrels and rabbits," Lori agreed, rolling her eyes upward and shuddering, "you know I had a bunny when I was a little girl… The minute Cat told me what I was eatin', I nearly threw up…"

"I thought it was pretty good," Danny grinned, shrugging slightly as Mike wrinkled his nose and shook his head, "c'mon, little man, what d'you expect? It's not like there's Taco Bell or McDonalds anymore…"

"I wonder if they found any of those while they were out there," Tory sighed wistfully, dropping her chin on her fists and staring at the warm, crackling fire, "think any of the food is still good?"

"Prob'ly not," Dale replied with a slight chuckle, "but a milkshake does sound good…"

"Doesn't it?" Riley cried, wrapping her arms around herself as she nibbled at the fish. She was with Jacqui on that one; she wasn't all that fond of fish, but it was a nice change. Still, if she had her choice, she would probably have gone for another squirrel, if only to have Cat and Daryl back.

The conversation was light and everyone found themselves at ease for the first time in a while. Even without Cat, Daryl, Rick, Glenn, and T-Dog there – and the majority of their guns with them – it was nice. It was a nice night, they had a good meal, and Ed and Merle weren't there to disrupt the conversation.

Tory and Amy exchanged dry glances as Dale told some story about a watch and the former hopped to her feet, "C'mon, Aimes…"

"Where are you going?" Andrea queried suddenly, catching her sister's arm as she stood silently from the fire.

"I have to go to the bathroom," Amy replied with a hiss, rolling her eyes and yanking her arm from her sister's grasp, sheepishly running a hand through her hair and noting moodily, "God, I can't even pee in peace?"

"Riley?" Tory questioned, jerking a thumb toward the RV. The girl in question shook her head and replied with a cheesy grin, "Nah, if I really have to go, I'll just find a bush…"

Tory shrugged and laced her arm through Amy's, the pair of them trotting toward the RV. Amy pecked Danny on the cheek before they left the fire, earning a jeer from the girl beside her. As they made their way for the bathroom, Shane's comment had them sharing a scowl, "Why is it that chicks always hafta go to the bathroom together? Do they think they're gonna get lost or somethin'?"

Amy jogged toward the back of the RV, slipping into the bathroom as Tory hopped onto the small table. She studied her nails for a moment before inspecting the pictures Dale had of his wife. Grinning at the adorable couple, she cooed, "Aw, you should see this, Aimes… Look how cute they were…"

Amy exited the bathroom and examined the pictures, grinning slightly at the pair. She offered her friend an amused chuckle and questioned curiously, "God, could you ever see Cat and Daryl like this?"

Tory snorted and studied the picture. Dale was still in his bucket hat, his arm draped around an older woman with a beehive hairdo and cat-eye glasses complete with a long, gem chain hooked around her neck. Shaking her head fervently, she replied seriously, "Hell no… The hat is _so_ not Daryl…"

Amy snorted and shooed her toward the bathroom, "C'mon; go take a piss so we can get back to that fish… I'm still hungry…"

Tory rolled her eyes and jogged toward the bathroom as Amy continued to study the picture. She grinned and tucked it into her pocket; she'd have to ask Andrea what she thought. The image of Daryl, old and wrinkled, in a Hawaiian shirt and a bucket hat, was just too much to bear. She chuckled and rolled her eyes, "I'm gonna go back outside, Tor…"

When her friend didn't answer, she simply jogged toward the door and stepped outside, announcing loudly, "Hey, is there anymore…"

Before she could finish, someone latched onto her arm and suddenly there was a searing pain bursting through her. She screamed, trying to wrench herself away from the walker tearing into her skin, blood – her blood – gushing from the wound in torrents.

At the fire, everyone scrambled into action. Andrea raced for her sister, screaming her name as the walker ripped into her neck. Tory appeared in the threshold of the RV, her eyes wide and a butcher knife in hand. The steel trembled in her hand as she stared down at one of her best friends being eaten alive before her, but she took a deep steadying breath and swung the knife.

Shane grabbed Lori and Carl, the camp now in a panic, and ushered them toward the RV. The gun was in his hand before he could blink, screaming and shouting for everyone to head toward the massive vehicle. Danny grabbed Mike and Jake, the latter screaming for his sister, and pulled the pistol from his waistband, taking aim as several more walkers ambled into camp from seemingly every direction.

Terror welled up in him as Riley stumbled over the log they were sitting on, her eyes wide as a walker went for her leg. He lifted his gun and shot it cleanly through the forehead, splattering the girl with its blood but leaving her unharmed.

Screams echoed through the darkness, shots ringing out and the thudding of bodies hitting the ground. Jake, holding onto Mike's arm as they ran for Lori and Carl, screamed, his bright eyes blinded by tears, for his sister.

WDDWDWDWDWD

I heard the gunshots before the others and began sprinting toward the glowing fire. I could see people running for shelter and others slowly stumbling toward them.

Walkers.

Shit.

Yanking the crossbow from my back – Daryl had muscled it back from Jose and offered it to me on the way back (he earned a thorough kiss for that one, believe me), I raced for the others.

Daryl called my name but I paid him no heed; I heard another voice call for me and that one was more important in that moment. Scaling the hill rather – after slipping a time or two – I took aim at the nearest walker and shot it down into the fire.

"_Jake!_" I bellowed, eyes wide as I scoured the area for him. He was standing behind Lori with Carl and Mike, who stood behind Shane, who took down every walker in sight.

Jake turned to me, his eyes wide, and made to run for me. Mike tackled him to the ground and Lori pulled the both of them back toward the RV, shooting me a wide-eyed frown. Pointing my crossbow toward the walker taking out Jane, I found my feet moving of their own accord, racing across the clearing toward the RV.

A loud squeal echoed through the camp, over the moans of the walkers and the adults' cries, I felt my blood run cold. It was a boy's, not old enough to be Danny's or any of the men, and I spun quickly. Carl and Lori were trying desperately to pull Jake away from Mike, who had his leg caught in the tearing mouth of a fat, decaying walker.

Unloading an arrow into its head, I found myself dropping to my knees, disentangling Mike from the massive creature that had fallen on him. Dragging him out from under the walker, I stared down at his mangled leg, bile pooling in my mouth as he stared up at me, terror in his young, pale face.

"Christ," I muttered under my breath, looking helplessly up at Lori, who tried desperately to keep her son and my brother away from the wounded boy.

"Just go!" she nearly screamed, tucking the two uninjured boys behind her and running a trembling hand over Mike's damp forehead. He screamed out, reaching for his leg, and called for his mother. The sound had me swallowing thickly, pressing a kiss to his forehead before standing and trying to make my way toward the rest of the walkers.

Gunshots broke through the clearing as the others made their way into the clearing. Daryl caught my gaze before breaking away and taking out at least three or four walkers in a matter of moments.

The raw, ear-splitting screams from behind me had me dropping to my knees, the crossbow weighing heavily in my hands. My fingers trembled as I tried to pull the trigger, but I simply couldn't keep it up any longer. With a shaking hand, I reached for the S&W in my waistband; it was lighter easier to work with as I listened to my brother's best friend dying behind me.

Someone screamed out Tory's name and I spun on my knees toward the RV. I hadn't noticed the bodies piling up beside the door, but I was almost positive that Tory was among them.

My head spun as I tried to find her among those left standing. I saw Danny back up toward Daryl's truck with Riley, his pistol taking out every walker he could find. She had found a massive stick and was brandishing it wildly, calling for her best friend amongst the chaos.

Jake bawled behind me, alternating between my name and Mike's. I couldn't hear the bitten boy anymore; only a wet, gurgling whimper that had a disgusted shudder running through me.

Suddenly, someone hoisted me from the ground, tucking me into his dirtied side and backing me toward the van. One-handed, Daryl shot at the walkers, never once lifting his arm from me; he didn't say a word as I lifted the gun and got off a few shaky shots.

My head pounded as the gunshots died off; the moans and screaming, on the other hand, certainly hadn't. The walkers were all over camp, their prostrate forms still, unmoving, but they weren't the only bodies on the ground.

Disentangling myself from Daryl, I jogged over to the larger group near the rear of the RV. Dropping to my knees, I looked over Mike's still form, my fingers trembling as they hovered over his neck.

Shane dropped himself to his haunches and gently grabbed my wrist. With a subtle shake of his head, he let go of me, gently lowering Mike's unblinking lids and patting Jake's head sympathetically.

My brother stared, wide-eyed and numb, at his friend's unmoving form. I gathered him into my arms and he broke down almost immediately. His tears soaked through my shirt as I stroked his hair, murmuring nonsense into his ear as he sobbed for Mike. Carl curled up in his parents' grasp, Lori and Rick exchanging solemn, somber glances. The latter offered me a soft, sad smile and stroked at his son's hair.

Shane stood, looking over us awkwardly, his gaze lingering on Lori even now, and stalked off to investigate the damage. I doubted I could stand if I wanted to, attached as Jake was to my waist, but I tried to look around camp for the rest of my group.

My throat burned and I tried my best not to cry for Mike. He was a good kid and so young… It may have been naïve of me to assume I wouldn't lose any of my own people, not when we had already lost people before, but this camp had seemed so safe… The quarry was so far from the city that I never thought they would make their way up to us, even after that one strayed too close for comfort.

_We should've known_, I moaned, though I never let a tear slip from my eyes, my jaw clenching as I stared blankly at the grass. I couldn't let Jake see me break down, not now, no matter how badly I wanted to.

Daryl stalked across camp, kicking the burning walker off of the fire. He turned, sensing my gaze, and frowned slightly, his eyes dropping to Jake for a moment before settling back on mine. I couldn't read his gaze from so far away, but the set of his jaw and the turn of his mouth let me know that he was sorry. Sorry that we had lost Mike and sorry that Jake was suffering so badly.

That affected me more than I thought it would, my chin quivering as I tried to return the look with a reassuring smile. I wound up grimacing and pressing a kiss to Jake's forehead, a tear or two slipping down my face and into his hair.

A wail echoed through the clearing, startling me enough to jerk my head up, seeking out the source of the sound. It was over at the other end of the RV, where I had seen the pile of bodies before. Andrea tugged someone out from beneath the pile, her blonde hair unmistakable despite the blood coating it. She cradled her sister's body against her, screaming and crying out her name, tears spilling from her light blue eyes.

Before I looked away, though, Riley let out an ear-splitting shriek and grabbed for another body. Latching onto a tan arm, she screamed at Danny for him to help her; he fell beside her, his eyes shifting, unblinking, between Amy's body and Tory's.

My blood ran cold as they looked her over, Riley sobbing and throwing herself over her best friend. Danny checked her pulse at Riley's demand, but, as he dropped himself back on his ass, his eyes darting rhythmically between Amy and Tory, I knew another of our group hadn't made it either.

My heart pounded erratically through my chest as I stared at the pretty young teen's lifeless form, her eyes staring up at the night's sky, blood still slowly seeping from the massive gouge in her chest.

Bile rose to my throat once more as I watched T-Dog check her over; there was nothing to do for her, except shoot her and keep her from turning into one of the monsters we had tried so hard to protect them from. That thought had me heaving, trying desperately to swallow it as I bit hard at my lip. Blood pooled in my mouth, only adding to my rolling stomach, and I subtly spit it out on the lawn.

Daryl appeared out of nowhere, crouching beside me and catching my face in his hand. His penetrating, cerulean eyes darted across my face, his brow low over his eyes, a flash of fear mingling with the concern blazing through them. He hastily wiped the blood from the corner of my mouth, scanning my body impossibly quickly; he met my gaze once more, a silent question as he peered down at me.

Was I bitten?

Shaking my head, I licked my lips and tried to speak. He didn't say a word, simply pressed his lips to my forehead and stood once more. He looked over me silently and then made for Rick; the sheriff's deputy simply nodded and cleared his throat.

He kissed his wife and his son before standing and catching Shane's shoulder. The two strode toward the edge of the camp, Daryl slowly following them. T-Dog and Glenn met them and the five began to talk. I couldn't hear them over the sobs, but I'm sure they were trying to figure out how to get rid of the bodies.

Clearing my throat, it took me a try or two to call for Danny and Riley. Their heads shot up – as did almost everyone else's – and without saying a word, they came to me. Blood stained their hands and they cast Tory's body an uncertain glance, but hastened across the clearing and fell to their knees, flinging their arms around Jake and I.

With the three of them bawling into my body, I fought the overwhelming urge to break down with them. One arm around Jake, I used that hand to rub circles on Riley's back, my other arm stretching around Danny's shoulders, trying my best to comfort them all.

What a way to end the night.

WDWDWDWDWDWD

Danny, Riley, and Jake were fast asleep in my tent after huddling with me for nearly an hour. They had piled the sleeping bags together in the center of the tent, Danny's arm draped around Riley's waist and hers around Jake's.

I watched the three of them for a moment before slipping from the tent. There was a lot of work to be done if we wanted the camp clear of the walkers and our people. Zipping the tent up behind me, I turned and trudged, exhausted, toward the dying fire.

Andrea hadn't left Amy's side and I could barely stand to look at Mike and Tory as they lay, silent now, side-by-side. We hadn't gotten around to shooting the victims yet; I don't think any of us were up to it just yet.

I fell into place beside Rick, staring out over the destruction and chaos. He didn't say a word, simply turned and offered me a silent, knowing frown.

I found my knees trembling as I watched Dale attempt to move Andrea from her sister's side. She snapped at him, screaming bloody murder, though no one tried to silence her. I think she probably would have pounced on them if they did; she was mourning in her way – I say let her be. If our places were reversed, I would have done the same.

"You shouldn't be up," Rick commented suddenly, startling me out of my reverie. He offered me an apologetic grin and continued, his voice worn, tired, "Cat, I'm sorry this happened… I thought we were safe up here…"

"We all did," I replied solemnly, shrugging a shoulder and commenting dryly, "we got cocky and they got the innocent ones…"

Rick rested a hand on my back, rubbing my shoulders soothingly, "I know… We can't stay here, not anymore."

Nodding, I jumped, startled, as Lori called for Rick, a slight, harsh hint to her tone. She stalked up to us, looking accusingly between us, and touching his arm softly. Rick didn't seem to notice her expression; he simply offered me another smile and wrapped his arm around Lori's waist. The pair of them trudged toward their tent, pressing a lingering kiss to his cheek and shooting me an irritated frown.

Brows high on my forehead, I laughed suddenly, loudly, catching their attention. They shot me a curious glance, Rick simply confused, Lori, somewhat perturbed. I caught more than a few offended glances in my direction – honestly, now wasn't the time to be laughing – but it didn't seem to bother me.

Dropping myself to the ground, I found my laughter replaced immediately by tears and raked a hand through my hair. Though I rested my head on my knees, my stomach rolled and I shifted myself onto my knees, my face to the ground as I threw up what little contents were in my stomach.

Someone silently crouched beside me; it didn't take a rocket scientist to figure out who it was, but what surprised me was the fact that he rested a hand on my back and began rubbing circles consolingly. As I continued to retch, he remained stoically by my side, waiting patiently for me to finish, before querying gruffly, "Done yet?"

"Sorry if my vomiting's making you late for something, Daryl," I muttered hoarsely, my nose and eyes running, rolling myself away from the puke and staring up at the cloudless sky. The acrid taste lingered in my mouth, threatening another round of violent retching, but I was too exhausted to even do that.

He glowered down at me, holding out a canteen wordlessly and replying, "Didn't want you pukin' in my water…"

Frowning, I offered him an apologetic frown, weakly hoisting myself up and taking a tentative sip of his water, "Sorry…"

He shrugged indifferently, standing and running his dark eyes over me. Swishing the water through my mouth, I spit it out and sighed heavily, more shattered than I was before; lifting his canteen, I waved it slightly at him and waited for him to take it.

He forewent it, his hands clasping lightly around my upper arms and pulling me gently to my feet. He slung the canteen around his shoulder and wrapped his hand low around my waist, "You need some sleep, Kit…"

"Aren't we burying everyone?" I queried, my throat burning as I caught sight of Tory and Mike again, "Mike, Tory, Amy…"

"We're leavin' that fer th' mornin'," he replied gruffly, easily unzipping my tent and ushering me inside. He glanced at the sleeping kids, guiding me carefully around them, toward the far corner of the tent where my sleeping bag rested.

He lowered me to the ground, squatting before me and running his dark eyes over me once more. He unlaced my boots and tugged them off, tossing them behind him and pressing a firm hand to my shoulder.

I allowed the action, falling back onto my sleeping bag with a heavy sigh. He peered over his shoulder at the sleeping trio once more, before making to stand. Before he could, I caught his hand and tugged him back down, keeping my tone as soft, as quiet as possible, "Stay with me, Daryl…"

He pursed his lips before nodding, sitting and kicking off his own boots. Sitting up behind him, I hoisted his shirt up over his head and pressed a soft kiss to his shoulder. He stiffened, tossing an uncertain glance back at me as I wrapped my arms around his chest.

He shifted around, wrapping his arm around my waist and lowering me to the ground. He was warm, a furnace against my trembling form, and I instinctively curled up against him. He pulled me onto his chest, his hands resting on the small of my back as he kept me against him. Silently, he studied my face in the darkness, his lips barely moving as he queried, "You feelin' any better?"

Slowly nodding my head, I pressed a kiss over his heart and muttered, "Thank you…"

He simply nodded again and pulled me a little farther up onto his chest, his chin resting against the top of my head. Before I could say another word, my lids drifted shut and I found myself dropping into an uneasy sleep.

WDWDWDWDWDWD

The only good thing about my night was Daryl. Other than that, I was entirely uncomfortable; every little noise had me jolting awake, from Daryl's light snores to the owls or frogs outside of the tent, fearing another walker attack that we weren't ready for.

When I woke in the morning to Daryl shifting beneath me, I inhaled deeply, my lips molding to the warm skin of his neck. He let out a slight, gruff chuckle and ran his hand up along my back, burrowing it into my hair and pressing a kiss to my forehead.

Clearing my throat, I fought the urge to go jump into the quarry, rinse my mouth out and wash all of yesterday's events from me. Burying my face into his neck, I wanted nothing more than to simply drift back off to sleep and forget everything that had happened.

He removed a hand from my warm body and fingered the necklace around my throat, studying the big, silver cross with interest. His cerulean eyes, still hazy with sleep, shifted down to meet mine and silently questioned where I had gotten it.

Quirking a brow, I watched him finger it, his dirty nails a stark contrast to the gleaming metal, shrugging a shoulder and running a hand through his thick hair, dark hair. When he realized I wasn't going to reply – not while the kids were still sleeping, anyway – he tucked it back into my collar and inhaled deeply.

The sun was rising and it felt like I'd only slept about an hour or so. It wouldn't have surprised me if that's all I'd gotten; by the time we'd gotten back to camp, it had to have been well past midnight and the aftermath of the attack lasted another hour or so.

A sudden movement had both Daryl and I stiffening outside of the tent. The zipper quickly unhitched and Rick peered inside, giving us all a quick onceover. When his gaze settled on Daryl and I, he simply quirked a brow and jerked his head toward the camp and disappeared from sight, leaving the tent flap open.

Sighing, I slid myself slowly up along Daryl's body and muttered low in his ear, "I don't wanna go out there…"

He grunted in agreement, his hand cupping the back of my head and pulling my face toward his, "Me either…"

Pressing my lips to his temple, I fought the urge to kiss him deeply; anything to forget what we would be walking into in a few minutes. He didn't seem to care, flipping me over and hovering over the length of me. He molded his mouth to mine, one hand resting on my collarbone and the other reaching for the hem of my shirt.

Grabbing the hand snaking under my tank, I gave him a slight frown, glancing toward the kids with a pointed look. He sighed, dropping himself onto his forearms, our lips nearly touching, and shot the slumbering group a dark scowl.

Laughing suddenly, I shook my head and kissed him once more before squirming out from beneath him. He let out a slight growl, but sat up and retrieved his shirt and boots. Lacing up my own hikers, I waited for him to stand and pull me up from the sleeping bag. He rolled his eyes upward, huffing and yanking me to my feet.

After stumbling into his chest, I offered him a grimacing smile and stepped carefully over the kids. Silently he trailed after me, shoving the tent flap away from me as I made to step through it. Casting him a slight grin, I took a deep, steadying breath and stepped out into the early morning air.

The first thing that caught my attention was the smell, the decaying bodies piled as far from the rest of the tents as possible. The others, our people, were left where they fell, aside from Mike who had been brought closer to Tory. They hadn't turned in the middle of the night, though I had to assume Shane kept watch and made sure none of them were able to get to us if they did turn into walkers.

Shoving my nose into the crook of my elbow, I glanced up at Daryl, unsurprised that he seemed rather unaffected by the smell. He was a hunter; he dealt with dead things all the time. Hopefully never people, but I'm sure he was used to the smell of death.

Still, he gave me a questioning glance and waited to see if I would start puking all over the place again. When I didn't, he glanced over my head, toward his tent, and muttered quietly, "I'm gonna go grab some shit."

Nodding, I squeezed his strong forearm and replied lightly, "I'm gonna go find the others. See what they're gonna do."

"I'll come find ya when I'm done," he replied, his tone low, gruff, and hooked a hand around the back of my neck, pressing a firm kiss to my lips.

Allowing a smile to grace my face as he pulled away, I braced myself and made for the nearest living person. He stalked toward his tent and disappeared beneath the flap; as I watched him go, the cross hung heavily around my neck.

After what happened the night before, I wanted desperately to give it to him; Felipe's _abuela_ was right; he needed it and it would make me feel better if he had it. I had never been an _overly_ religious person, but I had my beliefs and those beliefs included God and Heaven. I liked to think Mike and Tory were there now, if only for the fact that they didn't deserve to go in such a horrible way. With my parents, with Amy, with the rest of those who had been taken out by walkers.

Shane was the closest person to me and I jogged up to him, despite the heaviness in my legs. When I called out to him, he turned and fisted his hands on his hips, running his eyes over me and querying, "How's Jake?"

Shrugging a shoulder, I offered him a tight smile and replied, "He was bad last night, before he went to bed, but so were the others. They're still sleepin'; I want to keep it that way, at least until they have to be up. They don't need to see any of this crap…"

He nodded and raked a hand through his thick, black hair, "Ain't that the truth… So what brings you over here, Cat? Where's Dixon?"

"Gettin' something from his tent," I replied absently, searching for the others, "what are we doing with the bodies?"

"Burnin' 'em," he replied tersely, his lip drawn over his teeth, "they're all gonna turn…"

"You're gonna burn our people?" I queried, aghast, "why the hell would you do that? They're our people…"

"And they're gonna be walkers," he retorted with a shrug, looming somewhat intimidatingly over me, "the sooner we get rid of 'em, the better…"

My jaw dropped and I stared up at him, squinting up at him. Had I heard him right? He wanted to just _burn them_? Like they were already walkers? We didn't know those ones that had attacked, we didn't feel for them the way we did for our people.

Unimpressed by his intimidation attempt, I scowled up at him, "We're not burning them, Shane…"

He shrugged, waving a hand and shooing me away. Squaring my shoulders, I set off in search of Glenn; if anyone would be with me on this, it'd be him.

WDWDWDWDWDWD

So, what do you think? I hope you liked it! =D Please check out Running on Amazon by Cara McKay – it's amazing =D I'd like to hear what you think of that, too!

Leyshla Gisel: Thanks! Yeah, she's so cute!

Nelle07: I know, poor guy! They'll have some alone time next chappie, I promise ;D Oh, the CDC will be well used!

Rae Montgomery: Thank you! I'm so glad you like Kit! I try to make them likeable!

X-evaXOXO: Thank you!

JavaNut: Haha sorry! I'm so glad you like them together! Yeah, I had to do it! I was gonna go for Jake, but I couldn't!

xXKateRydelleXx: I can't say! But I'm so glad you liked it! I know, it was horrible! Poor Dale =( I haven't read the graphic novels, but I really want to!

WhisperInTheRain: yay! I hope you enjoy this one!

TheSpazChik: haha I totally would call him that, too…

RAINRAIN9: Thank ya! Hope this was quick enough :D

Ellen-and-Keats4eva: Thank you!

LovelySpecter: Thanks! Haha I can so see Rick doing that lol… And yes, she's so cute! Haha so are you liking my BS story too?

Requiemk26: Thankies! Oh, good, I always get nervous writing them, but I'm glad you think they're alright! Yes, we definitely will! Maybe the next chapter but definitely the CDC!

Night-Weaver369: Thanks! So glad you thought so!

Dalonega Noquisi: Thank ya! I completely forgot about that so I added that bit in there… whoops!

SharonH: Yes yes and maybe! Lol, I really like Sophia so maybe not…

Sickandtired212000: Thanks! Haha

Eloquent dreams: Thank ya! I'm glad you like it!

xXx Tinkies xXx: Thank you! She will, and that's exactly why she's giving it to him! I wanted them to but I had to get rid of some of them lol, unfortunately! Aw, thank you! If you wanna check it out, I'd love that!

Witchbaby300: Thanks! I try to do that with most of them; I don't like sticking completely with it. Haha that would be hilarious!

Grim1989: oh that's fine! I'm just glad you're back! :D

Nekuranekomegami: Thank you! I really appreciate the compliments! :D

Rosey: Thanks! I'm so glad you like it and that's so nice that you think it's so good! =D


	20. Leaving

A/N: So, I know the last chapter was a little bit of a downer =( But it had to be done! I couldn't let everyone else lose people and not Cat =/ But she's still got Danny, Riley, and Jake – and, of course, Daryl…

Disclaimer: I don't own the Walking Dead =/ UNFORTUNATELY!

Chapter Eighteen: Leaving

_Unimpressed by his intimidation attempt, I scowled up at him, "We're not burning them, Shane…"_

_He shrugged, waving a hand and shooing me away. Squaring my shoulders, I set off in search of Glenn; if anyone would be with me on this, it'd be him. _

The young Korean wasn't hard to track down; turn left at Dale's RV – giving Andrea and Amy a wide berth – and head up the hill and there was Glenn, a shovel in hand. Surprisingly enough, the holes were already dug and he didn't even look like he had broken a sweat.

Quirking a curious brow, I watched him turn, give me a onceover before looking down at the holes and noting solemnly, "Jim already had them dug… Had some kind of dream or something…" He grimaced and laughed humorlessly, "Got the numbers right…"

Swallowing thickly, I informed him tersely, "Shane wants to burn them…"

Immediately, he set to shaking his head, dropping the shovel to the ground and gaping at me, "But… they're our people. He can't do that."

"Well, let's go stop him," I replied, squinting against the sun and nodding back toward camp. He jogged around the alarming number of holes and fell in step beside me, silently accompanying me back to the now busier camp.

After a moment or so, he frowned slightly, glancing up at me and questioning, "How are the others? Jake?"

Licking my lips, I shook my head and replied shortly, "Not too great…" We reached the middle of camp, where Shane was in a heated discussion with Rick. Glenn hung back a bit, but I wasn't so easygoing after last night.

Shoving myself between the two of them, I glanced seriously between the pair of them, "We better be discussing how we're _burying_ everyone and not burning them…"

Rick's jaw clenched and he breathed heavily through his nose, staring his best friend down, "I dunno… Are we?"

Shane remained silent for a moment, fire blazing in his dark eyes, before nodding shortly. Breathing out a sigh of relief, I dropped my shoulders and nodded resolutely. Still, there was another question lingering on the tip of my tongue.

Before I could voice it, Rick queried quietly, his stance rigid and his arms folded tightly across his chest, "Where's Daryl?"

"Why?" Glenn questioned suddenly, yanking his cap off and running a hand through his hair before slamming his hat back on.

"I asked him if he had anythin' that might help us… with the bodies," Rick's voice dropped, his light eyes shifting toward Lori as she strode by, unaware of the nasty glare I was on the receiving end of, "we don't wanna use the guns, not if there are any more walkers out there…"

"What about our crossbows?" I inquired, deftly ignoring the sheriff's irritated wife and cocking out a hip, staring up at the former deputies and Glenn. Not that I particularly wanted to shoot any of my friends in the head, but it was a viable option.

"Well, he said the bolts weren't in the best shape, not on his anyway," Rick replied, scratching at the stubble along his jaw, "thinks he's got something that would work a little better…"

Nodding, I glanced over at Andrea, who still hadn't moved from the hot, dry ground. She stroked absently at Amy's hair, out of tears for now. For a moment I considered going over to her, maybe try and get her to leave her sister, but I overrode that thought immediately. If I were in her place and someone tried to pull me away from Jake's lifeless corpse to put a bullet, a bolt, or whatever in his head, I would be flipping shit.

Over Rick's shoulder, I noticed Daryl approaching, the thin, wooden handle of something in his hand, resting against his shoulder. He squinted in the harsh sunlight, sweat already trailing down his face and staining his shirt, the slightest of frowns tugging at his scruffy mouth. Was it sad that, even after the chaos and tragedy of the night before, I felt better just looking at him? To know that he had survived, holding me during the night and unwittingly helping me cope?

He didn't say a word as he broke into our powwow, hoisting the pickaxe from his shoulder and holding it in his upturned palms, querying gruffly, "How's this?"

Nodding, Rick only managed a slight grimace before glancing toward the far end of camp, close to Merle's truck and their tent. It was far enough away that nobody would have to deal with the horrible squelching sound of the pickaxe driving through their loved ones' heads or have to see the blood spurt from their corpses, but not too far from the hill where the holes were, where the pyre would be set up for the walkers' bodies.

"Who's gonna do it?" Glenn queried, his voice quivering only slightly, the disgust and worry evident in his tone.

"Who th' hell do you think?" Daryl retorted roughly, hitching the axe back onto his shoulder and glancing between the ex-deputies, "just bring 'em over an' I'll take care of 'em…"

Rick offered him a silent nod in thanks before looking at the rest of us, "Shane, think you could help move the bodies?" Our former leader pursed his lips but nodded all the same, raking a hand through his thick, black hair and sending a few beads of sweat through the air. "An' Glenn, are you alright with burying?" The young pizza deliverer simply nodded, the corner of his mouth twitching upward in a mirthless smile. "Cat, think you could start gettin' people to pack up? I don't wanna be around here for nightfall…"

"Where are we going?" Glenn inquired, his dark brow furrowed over his equally dark eyes, shifting them from face to face in question.

"CDC," Rick replied with a slight sigh to his tone, wary at the thought of packing up and heading off into the city once more. Hell, the mere thought had my stomach clenching painfully, shifting my gaze quickly toward Daryl. The hunter's bright, cerulean gaze met mine and he watched me carefully through narrowed eyes, probably judging my wellness without a word.

Rick caught me off guard, enough to yank my gaze away from my hunter and toward the deputy, "It's the best chance we got, 'sides Fort Benning. But they gotta know what's going on there… Maybe we'll find some answers, or a cure or something…" He returned his pleading gaze back to me, "So?"

Well, it was the lesser of three evils, I supposed. While I didn't want to be far from Daryl, I certainly didn't want to see him heave a sharp, pointed axe into Mike's and Tory's faces (the thought had my stomach rolling nervously), and, while I supposed I didn't mind shoveling, staring down at the blank faces of my former friends really wasn't all that thrilling.

So I nodded, offering him a soft, "Course. We'll be ready to go by the time you're all done." At least, that was my plan, anyway. I'm sure most people would be raring to go, but I knew a certain few that wouldn't want to abandon the bodies of their friends, their family.

My comment seemed to be the closing point of discussion, because Rick and Shane headed off in separate directions, the former probably off to find his wife and son and the latter off to help T-Dog, Morales, and the others transport bodies. Glenn gave me and Daryl a slight, unenthusiastic grin and began for the hill, leaving the pair of us alone.

I closed the distance between us and stared, unimpressed, at the pickaxe resting, forgotten, over his shoulder, "Think you'll be alright doin' that?"

He lifted a shoulder, his stance, his expression, indifferent, though his eyes spoke volumes. As they stared, constantly penetrating, down at me, I could see that he didn't particularly _want_ to handle the situation he was given, but he would and without complaint. He wouldn't flinch, he wouldn't blink, but I couldn't help but feel he wouldn't be totally alright with it.

But I would be there for him, after he was done. If it bothered him, I doubted he would say, but I would know. I'd be there to help him, if he needed it. And I think he knew that.

"C'mon," he commented suddenly, startling me out of my reverie, straightening and quirking a brow, "th' sooner we finish, th' sooner we can get the hell outta here."

Lips pursed, I offered him a tight smile and nodded, glancing out over the stretch of clearing, down toward the quarry, "I'll miss that…" Had it really been only a week, if that, since Daryl and I had spent a few hours together in the overly inviting water? Things had seemed so simple back then – relatively speaking. No walkers invading camp, no one dying… We had had enough of that before coming together and it had been a nice run, but from here on out, I had the feeling we would only be adding to the list of casualties.

He snaked a hand around my waist, giving me a slight squeeze, before he dropped a quick, firm kiss on my lips, effectively withdrawing me from my thoughts. I broke away from him after a moment, not wanting to do anything else utterly inappropriate in the middle of a mourning camp. He understood my reasoning, stepping away from me and stalking off toward his truck, where Morales and Jim were toting a body.

Heaving a weathered sigh, I set my sights on the nearest tent – the Peletiers' – and made my way toward it. Something caught my attention, though, before I reached the entrance. Blood, and a lot of it. For a moment, the blood froze in my veins and I fought the urge to call for Carol and Sophia. I couldn't remember seeing them the night before; maybe they hadn't been around the fire. Maybe they had been in the tent when the walkers attacked. This far from anyone with weapons would be a death sentence, one that I wouldn't wish on the two.

Creeping toward the entrance, I peered inside, bile rising to my throat as I stared down at what was left of Ed Peletier. Though he had no flesh left on his body, it was far too big to be Carol; no, the corpse before me was the wife beater…

And ya know what? Even if he had been a human being, I couldn't find myself to feel any sympathy for him. No, I couldn't think of a single person in camp who actually liked the son of a bitch and, now that he was gone, I got the feeling Carol and Sophia were finally free.

"Every time I try to look at him…"

Spinning, I offered Carol a sympathetic smile. Her eyes were red-rimmed and her nose was running, but I think she had cried about all she could for her abusive husband. Did she feel somewhat vindicated now that he was gone? Out from beneath his watchful eye? And, if she did, how guilty did she feel for actually feeling it? One of my closest friends before the outbreak had occurred had been in an abusive relationship. Once she left, she went from feeling relieved to remorseful, flip-flopping constantly and subsequently ending back up with him time and time again.

"How's Sophia?" I queried softly as she wrapped her arms around herself, drying her nose with a sleeve, "how are you doing?"

She shrugged, a quivering frown tugging at her mouth, before giving me a slight, almost sheepish smile, "Better than I thought… And Soph… She's – he was her father, but never…"

This time, Carol broke down for her daughter and I couldn't help but offer her a sympathetic hug. She sobbed into my shoulder for a while, now the one in need of mothering, and, as we stood in the sweltering sun, I watched Morales and Shane amble up to the tent.

Giving them a slight nod toward the entrance, I patted Carol's back as they entered and, with incredible difficulty, tried to remove Ed from the tent. Eventually, they just rolled him up in his sleeping bag and toted him out, down toward Daryl. Even from here, I could hear the repetitious thud of his pickaxe, flinching slightly at the thought of Mike being on the receiving end of the blow.

Carol pulled away from me suddenly, silently following the men with her eyes, before thanking me and following quickly after them. Shaking my head, I decided that the best thing to do now was leave their tent where it was; there was no use trying to take it with us, not with the blood spattered everywhere. So I simply collected a few belongings from inside, including their meager duffel bag full of clothes, cleaned everything off as best I could, and toted it down to their station wagon.

Next stop was the Morales tent, where Miranda was trying to get her kids to eat something. They didn't seem all that enthused, their eyes darting wildly around at every little noise. Peeking my head inside of their tent, I offered them all a soft smile.

Miranda ushered me in, querying in a rather business-like manner, "Do you want anything to eat, _chica_?"

Shaking my head, I simply smiled and offered my two former pupils a warm grin, "Just wanted to let you know that, as soon as everything's done, we're gonna pack up and leave. Was there anything we could put in your truck right now? Clothes, sleeping bags, anything?"

She nodded hastily, informing her children to stay where they were, and ushered me outside of the tent. She folded her arms across her chest and sighed, offering me a sad smile, "I think we're going to leave, Cat, after this. It's not that we don't think we'll be safe with all of you, but… I really want to see if I can find my parents. We stopped at the house before we left, but they weren't there. There are a few places they could be right now and, well, we just got so caught up with this group that we decided to stick around a while. But after this… I really just want to find them…"

Nodding, I gave her a hug and replied seriously, "You do what you have to. If I knew my parents might still be out there, I'd leave, too. I just hope you find them."

With a sad smile, she thanked me and we set about packing their belongings. Lori noticed what we were doing as she passed and stopped, running a hand through her wild, chocolate hair and querying, "What's goin' on?"

"Packing," I replied with a huff, battling with one of the sleeping bags to roll it back up – I _never_ could get them to stay; they always rolled crooked or came undone at the slightest movement, "we're all leaving after this. Didn't Rick tell you?"

She frowned, her dark eyes wide, and shook her head, "No… He, I mean, I guess I should have figured…" Her tone was forced, stiffly blasé, but her eyes burned as she stared down at me. Offering Miranda a somewhat exasperated glance, I stood and jerked my head toward their tent.

Lori followed me, nearly growling as we stopped outside of the Grimes' temporary housing, "What the hell are you doing, Cat?"

"Packing," I replied, my lip curling as my eyes narrowed.

"With my husband," she added tersely, her teeth bared as she stared down at me, "don't think I don't see what's goin' on…"

"Lori, I think you might be a little paranoid," I replied lightly, the warning thinly veiled as I continued, "there's nothin' going on between me and Rick. If you hadn't noticed, I'm with Daryl and I'm not the kind of gal who likes to sleep around…"

While I hadn't actually meant the barb against her – I knew she thought he had been dead, no matter how much I disagreed with her hasty relationship with Shane – but she snapped her head back, eyes the size of saucers, as though I had actually hit her.

"Listen," I rolled my eyes, running a hand along my jaw, "I didn't mean anything by that. It's just that Rick an' I are friends, nothing more, nothing less. If you thought I was cheating on Daryl with your husband, don'tcha think Daryl would've flipped shit by now? He's more observant than this whole camp combined; he would know. And he's still with me, right?"

She didn't say a word, but I could tell she was considering what I had said. Lips pursed, she rested her hands on her his, shaking her head and noting, frazzled, "I'm gonna pack…"

Giving her a thumbs-up, the minute her back was turned I flipped her off and continued on with my rounds. What, so now I had to deal with Lori hovering over my shoulder every time Rick came around? _Greaaaat…_

Before I could continue on with my camp clean-up (I felt kind of like a girl scout, a Smokey the Bear wannabe), I heard Andrea snap on Rick. Spinning, I watched her point the gun at him, the click of the safety ringing through the clearing, "I know how to turn the safety off…"

Rick simply raised his hands as Shane crept up behind Andrea, ready at a moment's notice to jump on her if necessary, but, as he backed away, she returned her attention to her sister.

Breathing out a heavy sigh of relief, I raised my brows, offering Rick a dry smile, sort of a, _glad you didn't get your brains blown out, brother…_ kind of look. He simply shook his head and returned to dealing with the corpses.

Before I turned, I could only duck to the ground as a gunshot echoed through the campsite. She hadn't shot at Rick, but Amy's blood now covered the pair of them. She must have started coming back, then, and Andrea did what she did best. She took care of her sister.

As she sobbed and dry heaved, Dale knelt beside her and stroking her hair consolingly. Before I could tear up, I turned and continued on with my mission.

As I passed my tent, I peered inside, watching Danny and Riley talk silently, swiftly, with each other in the corner as Jake remained motionless, his arm thrown around Winfield's contentedly curled form.

Letting out a soft 'psst', I got the two teens' attention and they stood immediately. They stalked out of the tent, shielding their eyes from the blinding sun and, as Danny looked around, Riley inquired softly, "What's goin' on?"

"We're packing up," I replied, shifting awkwardly from foot to foot, still unsure as to how they would react now that two of our original group had been taken, "as soon as everyone's buried, we're going to the CDC. Hopefully someone's there that can tell us what's going on."

"We're leaving?" Riley questioned, her voice raw, hoarse from screaming and crying, staring down at me in revulsion, "we're leaving them here?"

"It's a good spot," I cleared my throat of the catch threatening to break, "overlooking the quarry. It's nice. But after that, we can't stay… Out in the open, we're so vulnerable…"

She smacked me hard across the mouth, her dark eyes blazing as Danny restrained her. His dark, sad eyes fell on me and he queried, concerned, "You okay, Kitkat?"

Nodding numbly, I pressed a hand to my stinging cheek. My lids fluttered as I tried to keep a few tears at bay, not from the pain, but from the fact that Riley had enough rage in her – directed at me and probably for good reason – to actually hit me. She didn't look the slightest bit remorseful at the action, but Danny continued to eye me, regret and an apology flashing in his gaze.

"Danny, you can drive the van; I'll just go with Daryl," I stated stiffly, turning to head off toward the tent T-Dog and Glenn shared.

"Fine, just go with Daryl," Riley hissed, "that's what fuckin' got Tory killed in the first place, wasn't it? You _had _to go looking for that racist bastard and she wound up dead… Great job, you fucking bitch…"

The words hurt, I'm not gonna lie. Stung me deeply, actually. I knew, I _knew,_ not nearly as many people would have been killed if we hadn't been away. While we fruitlessly searched for a man, one horrible, vile man, we weakened the group and lost almost a dozen of our people. I knew I shared the blame in their deaths and that would plague me probably for the rest of my life. But to hear Riley say it, to hear someone else confirm what my mind already told me…

My nostrils flared and I couldn't stop a few stray tears that trailed down my dirtied cheeks. Glancing wordlessly at Danny, I shut my eyes and took a deep breath. When I opened them, they were both gone, having retreated back into the tent and out of sight. I don't think Danny blamed me – at least, his gaze didn't say as much – but how many other people stared at me with those judgmental gazes, cursing me for being away when I could have stopped the walkers from tearing into living beings?

When shouting broke through the clearing, I spun and stared, aghast, as Rick had his gun on Daryl and Daryl had his crossbow on Jim. Everyone seemed to be giving the friendly, black-haired man a wide berth, something that had me gnawing nervously on my lip.

"You gunna shoot?" Daryl snapped at the deputy, sneering disgustedly down the length of his crossbow at Jim. Jacqui ran her hands through her wild, curly hair, her eyes watering as she stared at a breathless Jim.

The man's chest heaved, the wound clear as day on his pale skin. He had been bitten. And Daryl, it seemed, meant to take him out before he had a chance to get the rest of us. Rick, of course, wouldn't be letting that happen, not as humane as he was.

"You gonna make me?" Rick retorted, his finger hovering over the trigger. For a tense moment, the crowd waited to see what Daryl would do. His muscles tensed, his finger itching to pull the trigger of his own weapon, but he growled and lowered it, stalking off to finish his job.

Breathing a sigh of relief, I made a mental note to head over to Daryl and try and calm him down. First, though, I jogged over to others, who surrounded Jim as though he had the plague. He looked around, muttering rapidly, wheezing, "I'm okay. I'm okay. I'm okay…"

Jacqui simply shook her head, letting out a slight sob, and turned from the sight of him trying desperately to convince us he wouldn't turn. T-Dog jerked back, away from him, as he took a step toward the massive man.

Lips tugging downward, I hesitantly approached Jim, reaching out and touching his forehead. He snapped his head back at the contact and I yanked my hand to my chest, just in case. When he didn't say a word, I muttered quietly, "You're startin' to burn…"

I knew that was the first sign; of course it was. But what was there to do? We wouldn't be killing him – I was starting to sound like a humanitarian – but he couldn't keep working. He'd only bring it on quicker if he exerted himself too much.

"C'mon, let's go inside," I hooked a hand through his arm and led him toward the RV. He kept up with his mantra and, as I ushered him to the bed, he fell on it, rolling onto his back with a groan and staring up at me, "Cat, I really am okay… I feel fine…"

Nodding, I simply retrieved a canteen from the sink and began filling it with the bucket of warm water we had been keeping inside the RV. It wasn't much, but it was clean, boiled a few days ago from the quarry.

Daryl appeared suddenly in the doorway, his eyes narrowed and his jaw clenched, and growled furiously, "Get the hell outta here, Kit…"

Shaking my head, I glanced back toward the bed. Jim stared at the ceiling, his mouth moving as he silently repeated those two words, trying his best to reassure himself.

"He's not dead yet," I replied quietly, not bothering to cap the canteen as I slipped back through the RV. Giving him a slight smile, I offered it to him and muttered, "Just keep drinkin' and I'll come back to check on you, okay?"

Without a word, I turned and headed back toward the front of the RV. Daryl had stepped inside, if only to make sure Jim didn't try and take a chunk out of my arm, his glower directed at me. Seemed like that was happening a lot today…

He touched my elbow, guiding me from the RV and pausing just outside the door. Resting his large hands on my hips, he pulled me toward him, staring down at me, his striking blue eyes lacking amusement, "Kit, he coulda fuckin' turned an' you coulda got bit…"

Shrugging awkwardly, I rested my hands on his chest, his shirt nearly soaked through. Still, I didn't mind; this was the most comfortable I had been all day and if I needed anything after my run-in with Riley and the fact that Jim _would_ die and _would_ turn into a walker at any moment, it was comfort.

He cupped my chin and lifted my face, his eyes narrowing to mere slits and his face setting like stone, "What happened to yer face?"

Prodding the sore bruise, I shrugged and replied in a tightly controlled manner, "Riley was a little upset. Thinks it's my fault Tory's dead. And it probably is, when it comes down to it, at least a little…"

His fingers clasped almost painfully around my hips and he gave his head a slight shake. In a sharp contrast to his painful hold on me, he rested his face in the crook of my neck, his hot breath fluttering against my skin, "Ain't none o' this is your fault, Kit… We all knew this kinda shit was gonna happen; doesn't mean it's alright, but you can't tell me she didn't think someone else could get killed… We're out in the middle o' nowhere; no protection 'cept a few weapons. They sniffed us out. Whether we were all there or not don't make no difference… Maybe if we woulda been there, _you'd_ be in one o' those holes, too… Bet she didn't stop to think about that…"

Wrapping a hand around the back of his neck, I held him tightly to me, allowing myself to get lost in the feel of his rough facial hair brushing against my skin, his warm hands now loosening their harsh grasp on my hips, his words reverberating from his chest and through my own. I had to admit, he was getting better at the comforting thing and I did feel a little better.

A slight sob behind us had him stiffening, standing straight but never releasing me. He peered over his shoulder and we watched Riley hastily wipe a few tears from her eyes. She offered me a regretful frown and ran at me, throwing her arms around my neck and crying pitifully, apologizing over and over into my shirt.

Daryl simply released me and offered me a questioning frown. Would I be alright? The better question – one he wouldn't ask – was whether or not Riley, Danny, and Jake were alright; that was something I could only hope for.

WDWDWDWDWDWD

It was about three in the afternoon when we finished with the bodies and the packing. A little late to hit the road, especially when we were so far from the CDC, but, now that the tents were down, there wasn't anywhere to stay. No, it was either lay under the stars, in the blood of our fallen comrades, or hit the road.

We had a small ceremony for the others, away from the walkers' corpses, surrounding the now covered graves. Jake hadn't said a word all day, only cuddled with the baby raccoon and offered me the most forlorn glances. Before Mike's grave, he stood in front of me, resting his head on my torso, with my arms wrapped around his chest.

Danny stood to my left, one arm hooked through my own, with Riley on his left. She sobbed into his shoulder, fingers digging into his arm, but he allowed it. He shared a sorrowful glance with Andrea, who knelt beside Amy's grave.

Daryl was to my right. He hadn't wanted to come, preferring to get his truck ready for the road, but he did. For me. He stood close enough that our arms brushed, but other than that, he didn't offer me a comforting arm. Just having him stand beside me was enough for the moment.

Occasionally, when I dried my tears on my shoulder, not wanting to release my brother, his gaze fell on me and shifted, uncomfortable with my tears.

Once the ceremony was done – Dale could have been a preacher, for all we knew – everyone trudged toward the vehicles. I gave Morales and his family warm hugs when they announced their leaving, assuring the kids that, the next time I saw them, I'd tell them about the Civil War. Morales gave me a grateful smile and, after they piled into their truck, went in the opposite direction that we were going.

Daryl pulled me off to the side before climbing into his truck and questioned gruffly, "You goin' with th' kids?"

I nodded and he lowered his gaze to the ground, his jaw clenching. He wasn't happy with my decision – he'd rather have me with him, in the truck, where he could make sure I was alright – but he wouldn't stop me. He knew how tenuous my relationship with the kids was after the walker attack and knew I wanted to patch that up as quickly as possible.

"_Anything_ goes wrong, you stop an' get me," he stated, a possessive growl in his voice sending a trail of pleasant chills up my spine, "you hear me?"

Nodding, I wrapped my arms around his neck and dragged him down to my level. He molded his lips to mine with little prompting, his tongue trailing along my lower lip. Granting him access to my mouth, our tongues fought for dominance for a minute or two before I sighed and pulled my lips from his. He frowned immediately, his ocean eyes quickly running along my face, but nodded anyway, his jaw clenching in irritation.

He ran a hand through my hair, pressing his lips firmly against mine, before putting some distance between us. He climbed into his truck, slamming the door rather violently, and gave me a short nod.

Leaning through his window, I kissed him again and stated with a grin, "I'll see you in a while, okay?"

He simply nodded, smirking slightly, and watched me jog over to the van. Danny sat in the passenger seat, offering me an exhausted smile and querying, "Can I put in some music, Kitkat?"

I grinned, nodding; it had been a while since we had listened to anything. Well, then again, it had been a while since we were on the road. No need to drive anywhere. Danny glanced over his shoulder at Riley and slid a CD into the player. Immediately, Tory's favorite band blasted through the car and my throat constricted.

As the cars began to pull away from the quarry, I pulled the van onto the road, between Carol's station wagon and Daryl's truck. Peering into the side mirror, I watched the hill disappear from sight, whispering a quick prayer for Mike, Tory, Amy, and the others.

I met Daryl's gaze in the mirror and we shared a silent, meaningful glance. His eyes flicked to his own mirror, watching our campsite disappear from sight, shifting, I assumed, from the graves, to the blindingly white sheet of paper nailed to a tree.

Before we left, he had been a little more than reluctant; he was convinced that Merle was still alive and he would eventually make his way back to the campsite. With nothing there but graves and a few empty tents, he would have no idea what happened or where we had gone.

So, we left him a note. Tacked to the tree, we let him know that we had left after an attack and were on our way to the CDC in Atlanta. After that, we'd be heading to Fort Benning if nothing happened at the CDC. That way he'd be able to follow us, let him know that, at least one of us, still thought about him.

I found myself pinned to the tree, Daryl's mouth trailing hot kisses from my mouth to my neck, at the suggestion. Things got incredibly heated incredibly quickly, his hands trailing up under my shirt and my own fumbling with the buttons of his shirt. He had told me what happened to Carol, how she had taken the pickaxe to Ed time and time again; no matter how he tried to play it off, it had bothered him, what he had to do. And, like I had assured myself and, in silence, him, I was there for him.

We didn't do much, simply kissed and touched, but it had been enough. When we parted, more than a few shot the two of us raised brows, but no one said a word.

Blushing at the thought, I allowed the music to wrap around me, keeping the walkie-talkie on hand in case Rick or one of the others needed to get a hold of us.

WDWDWDWDWD

By the time we made it to Atlanta, the place was littered with corpses. The CDC was barricaded, bodies all over the place, some moving, some not. There was nothing to do but leave the vehicles where they were and get out, crossing the distance on foot.

Fan-_freaking-_tastic.

WDWDWDWDWD

So, no real Daryl/Kit action like I had hoped. Trust me when I say it _will_ be in the CDC chapters! Huzzah! Like always, I'd love to hear what you think! Please review =D Oh, and I have a Boondock Saints story called Sweet Undoing. Look it up! And check out my ebook called Running on Amazon! Check out my profile peoples =D

LovelySpecter: I know =/ It was crazy! I'm glad you liked it though!

Stayinalivemoriarty: Haha thank you! I'm glad you like her; she's fun to write! And so is Daryl! I'm glad he's still in character; I'd hate if he wasn't! Aw, thank you! I'm trying to become a real writer, so I love this feedback! If you want, you could check out my book =)

Ellen-and-Keats4eva: Thanks!

SharonH: It had to happen! I'm glad you liked it and Kit and Daryl!

Dalonega Noquisi: Haha of course he'd get it for her! Aww thanks! This is how I picture Daryl being; we've seen how good he is to Carol and I thought if he really loved someone, this is how he would behave =) I'm glad he's still canon too!

LittleRin26: Haha I'm so glad you're liking it! I haven't heard from you for a while though! Maybe Shane does, I considered it for a while; maybe I'll have him go into it when he goes all crazy! And I'll check out your Wakling Dead stuff too! :D

Nekuranekomegami: Thanks! I'm soo glad you like it!

Rosey: Aw thakn you! I really appreciate that! I always love new readers! :D If you want, you could check out my ebook – my writing is always similar, but there's no Daryl =/ It's a pretty cool story though!

RAINRAIN9: Aw thank ya!

xXx Tinkies xXx: I kow, I didn't want to do it but I had to! I think he'll like it ;D And he'll get it at the CDC heehee, along with much more ;D

Leyshla Gisel: I know, it was hard to write =( but I'm glad you liked it!

ElodieDesire: Thank you! Here's some more!

Eloquent Dreams: I know, it was sad! But thanks, I wanted it to be!


	21. Jenner

A/N: So! How's life? I have been having serious Walking Dead withdrawals… So I deal with it through writing lol! I've got some good news on the book front, by the way – I'll put it at the bottom after the story =) Oh, and I realized I completely forgot the part with Jim, so it'll be in a flashback :D

Disclaimer: If I owned the Walking Dead, I'd be a happy, happy girl…

Chapter Eighteen: Jenner

_By the time we made it to Atlanta, the place was littered with corpses. The CDC was barricaded, bodies all over the place, some moving, some not. There was nothing to do but leave the vehicles where they were and get out, crossing the distance on foot. _

_Fan-_freaking_-tastic._

WDWDWDWDWDWD

_Jim was lying against a tree, not bound to it but still unable to move. Sweat poured down his face, trailing along his dirtied face and disappearing into his already dampened shirt. His breathing was labored, his chest heaving with the very effort of breathing. _

_Frowning, I watched everyone say good-bye to them in their own way. Jacqui sobbed into his chest; he tried to pat her back, but he simply couldn't lift his arms. His eyes were dimming; it wouldn't be long. _

_It was my turn then and, as I crouched before him, I wiped a few sticky, sweaty bangs from his eyes. Offering him a soft smile, I watched his eyes drift shut at my touch. My hand was probably like ice compared to the fever raging through him and if I could offer him a little bit of comfort, I most certainly would. _

"_I'm sure your family can't wait to see you, Jim," I muttered, licking nervously at my lips as his eyes cracked open, mere slits as he stared up at me, "I'll miss you, but I'd rather you be with them…" …than suffer anymore…_

_He tried to smile – it came out more like a grimace, but I caught it and gave him a watery grin, sniffing up a few stray tears as he muttered, "Me too…"_

_Pressing a kiss to his forehead, I cleared my throat and gave him my most reassuring smile, "I'll see ya later, alright?"_

"_Not soon hopefully," he wheezed, squeezing my hand lightly, the pressure barely a flutter of a touch, and I stood, turning my back to the poor, damned man. _

_Daryl stood back, beside the RV, looking somewhat awkward beside my brother, who decided that Daryl was a perfectly acceptable protector and had darted to his side almost immediately after we pulled over. Jake held Winfield tightly to his chest; the raccoon didn't bother trying to escape, he simply remained curled up in his grasp. _

_I knew my hunter didn't like the idea of letting Jim go like this – not that he wanted him to die in the RV (that would be devastating for anyone still inside). But we were just leaving him there and, after he _did_ die, he most certainly _would_ turn. _

_And then, to Daryl, he was just another walker. _

_I really hated to think of Jim, poor, sweet Jim, as a walker, but he was right. It would happen and maybe, sometime down the road, we'd come across him again. Was it misery? Was he even in his right mind? Or would it simply be a shell? Jim's soul gone, the monster would just be his body, his visage; we'd hate to see it, but would Jim, the real Jim, be in Heaven? _

_I couldn't think that he would be trapped inside that body anymore. He would be free to see his family; they would meet again, right? Maybe he'd see Tory and Mike?_

_Shifting course abruptly, I powerwalked around the RV and promptly emptied my stomach onto the hot, dry road. There wasn't much, just water; we hadn't really eaten for a while. Not since before Atlanta. _

_The thought had my head spinning; had I really run all the way back to camp on an empty stomach? Fought walkers without a single bite to eat? I felt a little badass at that, but a little _more_ than stupid at the fact that my stomach was trying desperately to eat itself. _

_I swayed in my spot, reaching for the RV's smooth, metal side and caught myself. Footsteps approached and I turned to make some comment about Daryl always catching me barfing, but stopped myself as Shane strode up to me, his shoulders tensed as he rubbed at his jaw. _

"_You alright?" he queried shortly, his dark, black eyes running quickly over me, assessing me. He avoided looking at the spot on the asphalt – hell, it probably didn't bother him, not with the shit he'd seen. _

_Shrugging slightly, I gave him a wry smile, "Sure."_

_He nodded, lips pursed as he offered me a sort of apologetic frown. Of course I wasn't alright. Neither was he. None of us were. _

"_You know we gotta do this," Shane commented, reaching out and touching my shoulder, massaging it lightly under his palm. _

_Quirking a brow, I looked away from him, sneering slightly in agitation, "It doesn't have to be like this…"_

"_Th' hell's goin' on?" _

_Daryl's bark was usually way worse than his bite and his tone had me flinching. It was low, quiet enough not to startle anyone saying their final good-byes to Jim, but it was furious, annoyed. _

_Shane's hand dropped from my shoulder and he ran a hand through his dark, curly hair. Fisting his hands on his hips, he lifted an unconcerned shoulder, looking over my enraged hunter indifferently, "Nothin', Dixon… Just talkin'…"_

"'_Bout what?" he queried gruffly, his nostrils flaring as he stared at the pair of us. His darkened gaze was unreadable, hard, but unreadable. His face was set like stone, an angry flush rising along his neck. _

_Oh _shit_. _

_Daryl was already jealous of Shane, I think; just considering the way he had acted when I joked about looking at the ex-deputy's ass, I could only assume he was a raging inferno now. The touch, the comment - 'it doesn't have to be like this' - would sound shady to anyone, let alone Daryl._

"_About the fact that we shouldn't leave Jim like this," I insisted, hoping the innocence in my tone didn't sound forced. I did _not_ want to get caught in what Daryl would certainly assume was some sort of affair because of the tone of my voice. "I'd rather we didn't leave him like this so he can turn and kill anyone who he comes across…"_

_Daryl tilted his chin up, his perceptive eyes still flitting back and forth between the pair of us. Neither of us looked guilty, I'm sure, but I never could tell with Daryl and that temper of his; maybe he'd flip shit and beat the living daylights out of Shane…_

_He never relaxed, not once, and I wanted to assure him that I wouldn't touch Shane with a ten-foot pole. The longer we stayed together, the easier it was to see he wasn't wrapped all too tightly. His temper grew shorter and shorter – probably something to do with the fact that Rick, Lori, and Carl were the happy little family and he couldn't pretend to be anymore…_

_Then again, I didn't want to piss Shane off, either. And admitting I wouldn't screw him for all the anti-zombie serum in the world (hopefully there was some, but I wasn't counting on it) in front of his face wasn't something I wanted to do. _

_Daryl's jaw clenched and I could hear the tirade coming now. He stalked forward, his cerulean eyes blazing, and opened his mouth – whether it was to ream out me or Shane, I wasn't sure, but I certainly was hoping it was Shane – prepared to snarl whatever had set off his short temper. _

"_Guys, we're goin' now…"_

_I wanted to hug Rick for the interruption but figured it would only set Daryl off once and for all. He peered between the three of us, his eyes narrowed almost imperceptibly, but jerked his head toward the cars, a forlorn frown tugging at his mouth. _

_Avoiding Shane at all costs, I paused beside Daryl, tentatively pressing a kiss to his cheek. He didn't move, didn't flinch, didn't breathe, but at least he didn't lash out at me… Peering up at him, I got him to meet my gaze and I silently promised him I would fill him in later on. He didn't respond in any way, simply stared down at me with that powerful ocean gaze, and I offered him a slight, anxious grin._

_Jogging around the RV, my stomach still rolling, I ushered my kids back to the van. Jake didn't look away from Jim, stumbling over his feet in an effort not to lose sight of him. I didn't want to look back at the poor man, but thought it would be a little cowardly not to. _

_He was already looking at me when I lifted my gaze, giving me the slightest of smiles. A lump rose unexpectedly to my throat but I still gave him a slight wave. _

'_See you,' I mouthed, hoping the distress in my gaze wasn't all that evident. It must have been, because his brow twitched upward in the center and he simply mouthed, 'Of course.'_

_Silence fell on us all as I climbed into the van. As we drove away, Jim grew smaller and smaller in the rearview. I kept glancing back, even after he had disappeared._

Of course.

Of course I'd see him again.

Just hopefully not anytime soon…

WDWDWDWDWDWD

The sun was setting, rapidly descending toward the horizon as I stared up at the CDC. It was like a safe haven, a lighthouse, a beacon in the dark, but there was no way to reach it without alerting some of the walkers.

And I'm sure there were plenty of them. I couldn't see any around, not close enough to be much of a problem anyway. But they were there. And if we so much as made a noise, we'd be screwed.

Still, there was no choice; we couldn't go back and the CDC was the closest building. Sure, we had to cross a parking lot, zigzag through the bodies splayed across the asphalt, but it was better than the half a mile between us and the gas station.

Cursing, I peered out of the window, toward Carol's station wagon. Rick poked his head out of the window and looked around at each vehicle; he gave me a solemn nod and opened his own door.

Heaving a heavy sigh, I turned to the kids, the van so much emptier without the other two members of our posse. They all stared at me, silently waiting for me to guide them; for the first time in a long time, it was overwhelming.

Swallowing thickly, I looked between the three of them, setting my jaw and injecting a lot more oomph into my voice than I felt, "So, looks like we're walking from here…"

"Hell, Kitkat, this is crazy," Danny rubbed at his face, deep purple bags beneath his bright eyes, "it's, like, a mile between us and that building…"

"I know," I replied lightly, patting his shoulder lightly and jerking a finger toward the trunk, "let's get the stuff and get going. They don't know we're here yet, so we should be alright…"

"I don't like the sound of that," Riley's voice trembled slightly, though she unbuckled herself and reached for the door handle, "the should part…"

Well, me either, hun.

Still, I gave her a cheery grin and shoved the door open, shutting the door as silently as I could. The others followed my lead and I fought the urge to tiptoe around to the back. Hurriedly opening the trunk, I grabbed a few of our bags. Danny appeared at my side, slinging a few duffels over his shoulder and easing the trunk shut.

The others did the same thing, all the while looking to and fro, watching, _waiting_ for the walkers to descend on us.

Lori kept Carl's face pressed into her chest as we started toward the building. Almost unconsciously, I guided the children toward Daryl; he didn't seem to mind, not at this point, and fell in step beside me, his crossbow raised and ready.

I had my own out, and, though it was lowered, I still was ready to lift it and shoot it at whatever walker tried to attack us.

Carol groaned as Sophia cried into her shirt, stepping over another decaying body. I avoided glancing down at them – or even breathing until we were out of sight – as I wove between them, my gaze flitting from the CDC to the surrounding area. Danny, Riley, and Jake were ahead of Daryl and I, clinging to each other as they jogged toward the building. They were almost surrounded, adults on any side, almost like a protective ring. Sophia and Carl were close to them as well; the young ones were all surrounded by the older ones who were ready at a moment's notice to do whatever they possibly could to keep them safe.

We reached the building, Rick searching the massive, steel door for a handle or a doorbell or anything like that. There was nothing.

Of _course_ there was nothing.

That would make things too easy.

Ushering the kids toward the door, I fell in place beside Daryl, both our weapons clasped tightly in our hands, fingers on the triggers, just itching for a walker to cross our paths. My nerves were alight as I waited for Rick to open the door; the longer it took, the more nervous I became – I didn't think the door would be opening any time soon.

Casting an anxious glance up at Daryl, I was surprised by the slight smirk he sent me. It was cocky, reassuring even. He could see the concern in my bright, caramel gaze and he was doing his best to promise me that nothing would happen.

An unexpected grin crossed my face and I took a step closer to him. He didn't flinch away, simply remained steadily at my side, his gaze drifting away and out across the ever darkening city.

"There's someone in there!" Rick exclaimed quietly, causing me to peer over my shoulder and watch him. Shane was shaking his head, overly concerned, he tried to calm his best friend down, but Rick was adamant.

I don't know if they smelled us, but the walkers started coming closer. They ambled into view, probably able to smell us over the decaying bodies – Rick had filled me in on how he and Glenn had to cover themselves in walker guts to blend in with the others…

Maybe I'd be seeing Jim sooner than we both had expected... Oh Lord, that had my stomach clenching...

A heavy, echoing thud burst through the silence, overtaking the whimpering of the youngest and their mothers, causing me to jump out of my skin. Peering quickly over my shoulder, I watched Rick scream and yell, pounding against the metal door and begging for us to be let in.

It startled me, to see him so undone. I didn't know why he thought someone was in there; the blinking on the video camera was an automatic thing – it didn't mean anything, right? But he continued to pound, to bellow, to scream for mercy.

But instead of anyone opening the door, it simply brought the walkers in. Their paces quickened, stumbling, shuffling rapidly toward us, toward the CDC. I heard Carol beg for us to return to the cars, but Rick continued with his attack.

Daryl shot the first walker, the closest to us, dressed in a pair of tattered jeans and a loosely hanging flannel shirt. His chest was ripped open, the wound festering on his torso, his skin ashen and pallid.

He took the walker down, the arrow planted firmly in his forehead. Another simply stumbled over him, tripping but easily recovering; I brought that one down. Hastily reloading my crossbow, I called out, a slightly edgy, panicked hint to my voice, "Damn it, Rick, what are we doing?"

Suddenly, a bright light burst forth from the CDC, engulfing me and casting a stark, black shadow onto the ground before me. Spinning on a heel, I squinted against the glaring white light, my eyes watering at the sight.

Daryl's hand fell to the small of my back, pressing lightly and guiding me toward the door. It didn't take much prodding; with the walkers at my back and a safe haven before me, I'd take the safe haven any day.

Stepping foot inside the building, I waited for my eyes to adjust; the first thing I noticed was the air conditioning. It was cool against my skin, goosebumps immediately trailing along my arms and legs almost uncomfortably.

Finally, after my eyes quit watering, I found myself face to face with the barrel of an extremely high-powered rifle. The man holding it was dressed in a lab coat, looking hastily between us, panic clearly evident in his dark, chocolate eyes.

"Were any of you bitten?" he inquired, the slightest of quivers to his voice despite the strength in it, "are you hurt?"

"No!" Rick exclaimed, peering back toward the doorway. Daryl still stood there, his crossbow loaded as he waited for more walkers to close in around us. I hastily jogged over to him, peering out into the darkness; now it was hard to tell what was out there, my eyes adjusted now to the light and not the darkness.

Of course I knew what was out there; that's why my good ol' crossbow was jerking to and fro, waiting for one of those horrifying faces to come into view.

"I want blood samples," the man stated suddenly, "give me them and you can come in… Once the door closes, it's not opening again…"

Hell, he could have a few pints if it would get him to shut the damn door and keep the damn walkers out…

In a flurry of activity, the guys began tossing our bags into the building, making certain all of our belongings were inside before the man hurriedly brought the metal shield down and locking it tightly before me and Daryl. Stumbling back slightly, I gave my hunter a relieved grin, one that he returned with the slightest of smirks and an amused snort.

Everyone was panting, the adrenaline pouring from us and leaving us all exhausted. Dale looked at the man, his dark, beady eyes watching him curiously, "Thank you for that…"

The man simply nodded, slowly lowering his gun and looking anxiously between the rest of us. We must have looked a sight; we were ragged, out clothes dirtied and torn, our stomachs giving in on us.

"Thank you, Mr…?"

"Dr. Jenner," the man replied, never dropping the gun as he gave Rick a slight, unamused grin, "Edwin Jenner…"

Rick jogged over to him, offering him a hand and grinning, relieved, "Dr. Jenner… We can't thank you enough…"

"Well, the blood samples will be thanks enough," Jenner replied, gesturing for us all to follow him, "come with me."

Sharing an uneasy glance with Danny, I slowly strolled after them; why the hell did he want our blood? Sure, I'd been alright with it a few minutes ago, but now?

Daryl fell in step beside me, squinting irritably up at Jenner. By the set of his jaw, the tenseness in his shoulders, I could tell he was less than happy with the way things were going. It was better than outside, yes, but Daryl Dixon didn't like new people. Hell, he didn't like the people he knew…

"Where th' hell didja get a gun like that, Doc?" he queried, his tone jeering; if anything, Daryl liked to test people the minute he met them. If they could keep up with him, it seemed, if they could take his shit, they'd be alright in his book. So long as they didn't piss him off, that is… "Think you can even handle it?"

Jenner looked over the weapon in his hands before shooting Daryl an unaffected, semi-sheepish grin, "The army left a lot of things behind when they left here… I figured I might as well take it, in case I needed it."

Well, it was a good weapon, that's for sure. Something I'd definitely want to take out the walkers.

Daryl scoffed and shook his head, obviously unimpressed. Now, if Jenner had said he went all Rambo on a dozen or so walkers and _then_ found the gun, Daryl might have been impressed, but even then, I doubted it…

"It's right in here," Jenner gestured toward a large, open room, the walls white and sterile. There were cots and plenty of monitors, IVs and needles all over the place.

But not a single soul.

I had been expecting the CDC to be a little more… active? Where were the doctors, the technicians, running their tests and finding their cures? Maybe they were somewhere else; it was an enormous building and maybe they did their research somewhere else?

Still, I found it strange that the only welcome wagon we had received was a lone doctor with fear and panic in his gaze and a wildly oversized gun in his hands…

"Um, everyone just take a seat and I'll get started…," Jenner gave a sweeping gesture, watching us all hover around uneasily. Carol was the first to sit, dragging Sophia down onto a cot with her, heaving an exhausted sigh and rubbing at her solemn, red-rimmed eyes.

As everyone got their blood taken, Jenner asked them simple questions. Names, ages, what we'd done before hand… He responded with a few, giving answers in kind, but other than that, everyone remained silent.

I sat beside Riley on another one of the cots, Jake sitting on my lap. Even though he was spindly, lean, he was heavy – we probably weighed about the same by now and he was crushing my legs. Still, I couldn't shove him away – he didn't like needles and the day and night had been exhausting; his head rested on my shoulder and his breathing was slow, even.

"Miss?" Jenner queried, glancing over at us. He was looking at me, but I nudged Riley lightly in the side, gesturing for her to go first. She sighed and stood, approaching the doctor and holding out her arm.

Try as I might, I couldn't get the boy off of my lap; he wasn't budging. Rick appeared instantly at my side, easing my brother off of my lap and settling him down on the cot. He curled up, his hands tucked under his chin, as he slept.

A sad pang struck deep inside of me, shaking me to my core. How much pain had my brother suffered through? Was it because of the choices I had made? Bringing Mike and Tory and the others to the camp; was it my fault they had died?

Rubbing anxiously at my face, I could only offer Rick a terse, listless smile as he squeezed my shoulder questioningly. He seemed a little uneasy at leaving me where I was, but Jenner called on him next.

Rising from the cot, I brushed a bit of hair from Jake's eyes and sighed heavily. Lifting my gaze, I almost immediately sought Daryl out; it wasn't hard – I was simply drawn to him. He stood beside the window, staring out into the darkness through one of the blinds. He had forgone the bandage in the crook of his elbow, simply checking it every now and then under the cotton ball before tossing it into the trash.

Badass.

He glanced over at me as I strolled toward him, turning away from the window and running his darkened ocean eyes up along my exhausted form. I leaned against the wall beside him, my arms folded behind my back as I nudged him lightly with my shoulder.

He glanced down at me, his brows lowering over his light, intense eyes. He didn't ask with words, but I knew he wanted to know what was wrong.

"It's just… everything," I sighed slightly, my lips drawn to one side as I stared at the pinprick in his arm, unable to fully meet his gaze, "last night, Jim… Jake… He's gone through so much shit…"

"So've you," he replied gruffly, quirking a brow deftly and folding his arms across his broad chest, "everythin' yer brother's gone through, you have, too."

Lips pursed, I blinked and replied, "I should be able to handle it, right? I'm the older one…"

"Merle's th' older one, too," Daryl replied stiffly, "an' I handled more shit – for him – than he did for me. Was always a pretty self-reliant kid; didn't need him. Didn't need anyone. An' when we were older, I had ta handle all his shit; his drugs, his alcohol, his jail time… Then with all th' geeks, tryin' ta survive… Sometimes ya need a break, ya know? When ya can't handle shit anymore an' you just need somethin' ta take yer mind off of everythin'…"

"What was your break?" I questioned quietly, curiously.

He peered down at me, his deep, cerulean eyes darkened, "You."

Before I could comment, or my heart could stop fully, Jenner called for me. Blinking rapidly, I fought the urge to jump him (I don't think he would have minded much, if the desire pooling in his eyes said anything) and stepped away from him, inhaling deeply.

Planting myself in the seat before Jenner, my mind still reeling from Daryl's admission, I gave him a light smile, "Hello…"

He gave me a polite grin and set about cleaning out the crook of my arm, "Hello, Miss…"

"Uh, Dalton," I replied with an almost startled laugh; when's the last time I had to introduce myself? "Cat Dalton."

"Nice to meet you, Cat," he replied, rubbing alcohol and preparing a needle for himself, "I wish it was under better circumstances, but…"

"But when the world's gone to hell, this is probably the best we'll get, right?" I queried with the slightest of grins, glancing over at Daryl, entertained by the glower on his face as he stared, irritated, at Jenner.

The doctor simply chuckled and agreed, glancing almost apologetically up at me and stating, "This might sting a little…"

I didn't flinch as he placed the needle into my arm and took what blood he needed. He didn't take much, but still, it felt like he had drained the life out of me. Andrea had almost passed out before; I'm not surprised now.

"Think you'll be alright to stand, Cat?" Jenner queried, partially concerned as I rose from my chair. Nodding, I waved my hand, willing my now sluggish legs to cross the room before I hit the ground. "Do you need a hand?"

A set of hands rested on my waist, keeping me steady as he noted harshly, "I can handle it from here, Doc…"

Jenner just held up his hands in surrender, glancing over at me, his brows high but his eyes glinting in question. I simply rolled my eyes and shrugged a shoulder; if he didn't realize it yet, Daryl was Daryl. There was no changing him and I preferred the feeling of his rough, calloused hands sitting comfortably on my body.

This time, his dark eyes glinted in amusement before he stood and made his way toward the door. He cast a grin over his shoulder and queried lightly, "C'mon… There's plenty to eat; God knows I can't eat it by myself…"

Carl let out a loud, obnoxious whoop, startling poor Jake awake. The latter looked around, panicked, before querying hastily, "What's goin' on?"

"Food!" Carl exclaimed, leaping over to the cot and dragging my brother to his feet. That had the young redhead beaming; the pair of them high-fived, earning a somewhat relieved grin from the others. It was nice to see the kids being themselves again, even if it was for a few hours or however long we stayed here.

Leaning against Daryl, I wrapped both arms around him, one across his back and the other across his chest. We walked at the back of the group, his arm slung across my shoulders, a cocky grin on his face.

I fought the urge to roll my eyes again; he sure was all for the protective mate, alpha male role, wasn't he? With Shane, with Rick, with Jose, hell, even with Jenner… Still, I didn't mind, not really. I mean, sometimes it got a little irritating, especially when he acted like I couldn't handle certain situations, but God, I loved him…

Just like in the woods, when I had realized I was actually attracted to the backwoods hillbilly at my side, I nearly stumbled over my own feet at the revelation. Did I honestly just admit that I _loved_ Daryl Dixon?

The cross weighed heavily against my chest and suddenly _abuela_'s words made complete and utter sense. When I was ready, I would give him the cross and tell him what he meant to me. What he _really_ meant to me.

But would he be alright with that? This was Daryl Dixon we were talking about; he had said it himself, his childhood wasn't the best. Living with Merle, dealing with his shit; I didn't know much about his parents, but had to assume the situation wasn't the greatest. I knew he liked me, that he cared about me, but did he love me? Was that a foreign concept to him?

"Right in here," Jenner swept an arm toward another room. It was a large, oval room, dark aside from a few lights above the table. There were some appliances along the furthest wall; a fridge, a stove, a sink.

The doctor made his way toward the cabinet and grabbed a few dishes, spreading them out along the table and gesturing for us to sit, "It won't take long… Anyone want anything to drink?"

"Got any beer?" Daryl questioned loudly, earning a snort from me. Andrea shot the pair of us an amused smirk, her bright, sky blue eyes drifting down to my arms encircling his waist, before she raised her brows high, mocking.

Sticking my tongue out at her, I rolled my eyes and gave Daryl a light squeeze. He glanced down at me, partially confused, before catching Andrea's gaze. Almost immediately, he dropped his arm from my shoulders and stiffened, his lip curled in irritation.

The blonde simply raised her hands in surrender and turned her attention toward the table.

Casting Daryl a disbelieving look, I queried tauntingly, catching the collar of his shirt and pulling him down to my level, "Really? They all know we're together…"

He raised a shoulder, shifting uncomfortably as I released him, and glanced away from me, "Doesn't mean I want 'em all to see…"

"What? You vulnerable?" I questioned, brows high on my forehead as I stared up at him curiously.

He shrugged again and continued to jeer at the doctor, ignoring me completely, "So?"

"Got some wine," Jenner replied, retrieving a few bottles of unopened Chardonnay from the nearest cabinet and handing it over, "there's a few more bottles in there if we need 'em."

Daryl quickly popped the cork and everyone grinned, cheering. The bottle was hastily passed around as Jenner whipped together a quick meal at the stove. I dropped into a chair between Jacqui and Dale, accepting a sizeable glass of wine. The kids were given water – despite Danny's protest that they had survived a zombie apocalypse and deserved some alcohol – and the conversation began flowing easily.

Daryl passed behind Glenn as the young Korean accepted a glass from Rick, noting jokingly, "Keep drinkin', little man… I wanna see how red your face can get…"

Glenn just laughed and took a swig, unconcerned about how bad of a hangover he'd have in the morning. I, on the other hand, took a few sips, savoring the taste, even though I'd never been much of a drinker before the walkers came. It wasn't quarry water, that's for damn sure.

WDWDWDWDWD

The night went by amazingly; it was the first time in a long time that any of us had relaxed to the point where we didn't even consider the walkers. They couldn't get to us, not like at home, at work, or at our campsite. We were safe in the CDC; it was a fantastic feeling.

The only thing that worried me was that there were still no other workers. No one coming in to check on us, no one coming to grab anything to eat… And Jenner didn't mention anyone…

"So, where are the others?" I queried suddenly, breaking the raucous laughter as Carl tried desperately to get a drink from his parents' wine glasses.

Everyone quieted, Lori shooting me a reproachful glance, but I took another sip of my wine and stared innocently up at Jenner. He sighed, flicking absently at his nail, before replying, "I'm the only one left… There is no one else…"

"Did they leave or did they…"

"Both," Jenner cut Dale off, licking his lips and taking a hearty swig of his drink, before standing and giving us all a tight smile, "I'd better be going… Good night; I'll see you all in the morning."

"Way to ruin the mood, Cat," Riley rolled her eyes, offering Shane a pleading glance, still trying – unsuccessfully – to get a drink from his glass.

Shrugging slightly, I kept my thoughts to myself. If no one else was there, then who was working on the cure? Jenner? Could he do it by himself?

"Ew, that's nasty!" Carl shoved the glass of wine away from him, earning an approving smile from Lori as she commented lightly, "That's my boy…"

"Oh, now you have to give me some," Riley rolled her eyes, tugging the glass from Shane's hand.

Well, I supposed I wouldn't worry about the lack of answers tonight. There was food, alcohol, beds… Oh Lord, hadn't he said there were showers? My eyes drifted toward Daryl, who was already staring intensely at me from across the table, the corner of his mouth twitching upward in a dangerous smirk.

WDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWD

So? What'd ya think? Please review; I love to know what you guys think! Oh, by the way, my book will soon be available on Nooks; I'll fill everyone in on where, but it finally got accepted. So it'll just take a few more days I think until it's finally available! Please check that out too!

Ellen-and-Keats4eva: Aw thanks! I really appreciate that! I loved the finale, especially when they were trying to get away from the farm. When Daryl popped up on his motorcycle to save Carol… loved it! I'm excited for the next season to start!

LovelySpecter: Aw thanks! Yeah, I keep forgetting about him lol. Poor little Winfield… Yeah, I can't stand Lori so I thought a little conflict would be nice! Oh, I'm so excited for the next chapter…

LittleRin26: Thank ya thank ya! It's fine; I'm just glad you like it!

Dalongea Noquisi: She totally is! Thank you; I thought she'd be more than pissed and I can see how it might seem like it's Cat's fault. Haha, I needed him to be sweet; love it! And thank you for the review, I totally love getting ones like these!

Eloquent Dreams: Yeah, it really was… Haha I hope this is happier; next chapter definitely will be!

Fight-Before-Fight: Haha thank you! I'm so glad you're liking it!

xXx Tinkies xXx: Thank you! Oh, for sure! Since I don't have to focus on Rick/Shane/Lori, it's gonna be _all_ Cat and Daryl! Thanks, I hope you had a good Easter too! Mine was nice =D

Leyshla Gisel: Thanks! They definitely were; I'm looking forward to writing them!

Nelle 07: I know, it would be horrible… I think I have a good plan (everyone needs a plan) for a zombie invasion, but kids? It'd be crazy!

Angela: Thank you! I hope you like this chapter!

Tsukiange: If you don't have a Kindle you can still get it – as long as you have a Kindle app on your PC, you can download my book there. The app is free and you just buy the book on Amazon. I'd love to hear your input on it if you do get it =)


	22. Like Home

A/N: So, I have to apologize for the delay; work, life, etc. I wish I had some better excuses, like something to do with Norman Reedus, but, yeah, nope. Just life! So, good news on the book front for anyone who's interested; it's now available on Nook so check it out! It's available for Nooks, Kindles, and other e-readers. =D

A/N 2: GO SEE SNOW WHITE AND THE HUNTSMAN! Ahh, Chris Hemsworth… Delicious…

Disclaimer: I don't own _the Walking Dead_. Unfortunately. If I did, well, that'd be awesome, yo! Dawg… etc… Oh, um, another warning – could be a little heated! Warning, warning, warning! It might not be _too_ bad, but just a forewarning!

Chapter Nineteen: Like Home

_Well, I supposed I wouldn't worry about the lack of answers tonight. There was food, alcohol, beds… Oh Lord, hadn't he said there were showers? My eyes drifted toward Daryl, who was already staring intensely at me from across the table, the corner of his mouth twitching upward in a dangerous smirk. _

Dinner was an amazing affair. Alcohol, _actual_, hot food… Deep, smoldering glances from Daryl across the table. Almost everyone was well on their way to drunk, even Carol, who I'd seen casting more than one glance at Dale, of all people. That had me snorting into my glass, shooting Daryl an amused smirk, one that he simply quirk a brow to. I'd have to tell him my suspicions later…

If we ever got to talking…

T-Dog offered to tip off my glass once more, but I simply waved him off, offering him a wink and sending him down along the table. Jenner had left us a while ago, leaving us to party up around the table. It still didn't sit well with me that no one else was here. How was he doing all by himself? Obviously he wasn't any closer to finding a cure, especially since he was alone, but I could have been wrong. Maybe, slowly but surely, he was on his way, but as of now? How many walkers were still out there? Did he experiment? Did he try and fail? Or was he just wasting away in here? Waiting out every day until his life was over?

Rick was giving his wife sly glances; Shane was less than obvious. Lori shot her husband's best friend sharp, wide-eyed glances, ones that silently begged him to stop. Stop before Rick noticed, but he had had too much to drink and didn't look like he was stopping any time soon.

Oh look, there he went, uncorking another bottle. I didn't bother hiding my blatant staring; no one seemed to notice or, if they did, they didn't seem too overly concerned by it. Shane met my gaze, his black eyes unreadable, before shifting them off to Glenn, laughing halfheartedly at whatever the young Korean had said.

Narrowing an eye, I glanced over at Lori, who met my gaze before dropping it quickly to the table. I willed her to meet mine once more; she did and I quirked a brow, a silent, well… I wasn't quite sure what it was. A warning? Maybe; I didn't trust Shane half as much as I used to and, gotta admit, my gut was usually right.

"Cat! Did you _try_ this?"

With a smirk and an eye roll, I turned my attention to Riley, who was well beyond hammered. Her face was flushed pink, much like Glenn's and Danny's, and she couldn't seem to stop laughing. Nearly slamming her face into the table as Danny rubbed her back, his own silly grin on his face, she snorted into her food, promptly choking and giggling at her own stupidity.

"Shane, how much did you give her to drink?" I queried dryly, though I couldn't stop the grin from flitting across my face. Watching drunk people had always been the highlight of going to the bars. I rarely drank myself, but, as the DD, I definitely had my fair share of amusing stories to tell my friends when they finally sobered up. The kids were no different; it was like their twenty-first birthday, each too drunk to realize what asses they were making of themselves, but God were they having a good time.

"'Bout a cup an' a half," the dark-eyed deputy smirked, earning a round of laughs from the adults in the group. Obviously the kids seemed like they were on their sixth or seventh round.

"Didn't even make it ta two," Daryl jeered, snorting as he cradled a half-drunk bottle of wine against his chest, meeting my eyes in a smoldering blaze, before glancing back toward Shane, "what about you? Still on one?"

A few of us jeered, hurriedly looking at Shane to see his reaction, but I kept my gaze focused on Daryl. His brows darted high on his forehead, a silent, challenging question; what did I want to know? If he was gonna start something with Shane?

"Hell no," Shane retorted, raising the bottle – it looked like he was well into his second bottle, "I ain't no pussy…"

"Hey!" Glenn cried out indignantly, though he seemed to forget what he had been so offended about in a matter of seconds, greedily reaching for his wine glass and taking a massive gulp.

But the challenge had been accepted. Daryl leaned back in his seat, setting the bottle onto the table and folding his arms behind his head. He kicked his feet up, the chair on its back legs, and smirked tauntingly at the deputy, "Doesn't seem that way to me. Ain't nothin' but a little pussy, always skulkin' around, tryin' ta be th' big, bad bossman, but ya know what…"

Before I could respond, or even Lori or Shane, Rick beat us to it, holding up his hands and leaning across the table, "That's enough Daryl."

My hillbilly simply snorted, running his hand along his face and giving Rick a long, hard look, his deep, cerulean eyes speaking volumes. For a moment, my heart leapt to my throat at the thought of Daryl revealing Lori and Shane's secret in front of everyone. It's not that he didn't need to know, but everyone else certainly didn't and Daryl didn't need to be the one to clue him in.

Obviously, Lori thought the same thing, because she leaned over Jacqui and carelessly shoved Daryl's feet off of the table, sending his chair back on all fours with a resounding thud, "I think some of us've had a little too much to drink."

"Amen to that," Jacqui raised her wine glass, laughing as Andrea noted sarcastically, "You think?"

Daryl scowled at the deputy's wife, his lip curling, but he simply let out a low, huffing laugh, "I ain't even started."

"I think some of us should stop before we get ourselves in trouble," I noted seriously, though I offered him a smile as he rested a hand over his heart, mocking offense, "yes, I'm talkin' ta you, Dixon." As Shane snorted into his wine, I grabbed the bottle around the neck, pulling it back as he protested, "That goes double for you, Walsh."

He pouted, yanking the bottle back to him and taking a bold, defiant swig. Drunk off their asses, Riley, Danny, and Glenn yelled out, covering their mouths and 'ooh'ing.

Shrugging, I pursed my lips and noted with a careless laugh, "Don't come crying to me when you get your ass kicked, then, Shane."

T-Dog let out a loud laugh, slapping a hand on the table, before the conversation drifted to a safer topic. Like a good, homemade breakfast in the morning, one that had practically all of us drooling into what was left of our meals. I, for one, hadn't left a single bite, hungry as I'd been. Of course, I'd probably pay for it later, having spent so long eating so little, but, hell, I'd be all for a bad night if it meant I got to eat real food for a while.

"We should look for some eggs," Dale suggested; he and I were probably the most sober, but he still held onto his wine glass and shot a wink at the silver-haired mother at my side.

Well, that had me spraying my wine across the table, coating Lori and Andrea in Chardonnay. Coughing, I wiped my mouth as the rest of the table practically fell to the ground, their laughter bouncing off of the wide, open walls; I'd never seen Daryl laugh before – the nasty scowl I was getting from Lori was worth it.

"Sorry," I muttered sheepishly, shooting Dale a cautious, curious glance. He simply laughed, his head thrown back, before raising his glass to me and tapping a finger to his lips. "Shit… I think I'm gonna head on out before I spit on anyone else."

_Remind me not to go knocking on _anyone's_ door tonight,_ I mused, nose wrinkling as I pushed my chair away from the table, _I don't even wanna _know_ who's gonna be hooking up and who's not… I'd rather not be scarred for life, thank you very much…_

Andrea just patted herself dry, shaking her head and glaring halfheartedly up at me, "Good, go away. Keep everyone else safe from your wine spit; it's too late for me… I'm gonna get you back for that, though…"

Shrugging, I offered her an apologetic laugh, "Least it wasn't barf…"

This earned another round of raucous laughter, though the one that I found myself yearning to hear didn't make a peep. No, he was staring at me, his eyes hooded and his drink forgotten on the table. He didn't make a move, nothing except his beautiful, predatory gaze, as I made my way around the table, patting Rick on the shoulder and leaning down beside Dale.

I met his gaze from beside the older man's ear, though I made sure not a soul would hear me, "You perv…"

Dale let out a loud laugh, shaking his head and patting my hand, noting cheerily, "Why should you young ones have all the fun?"

Shaking my head, I let out a disbelieving laugh, patting his shoulder and offering Daryl a soft smile. He didn't blink, but the tumult of emotions roiling through his deep, intense gaze had me flushing slightly. Standing tall, I gave the table a wave, "See you guys in the morning."

A chorus of 'good night's echoed through the dining room and, before disappearing entirely, I turned in the threshold and jabbed a threatening finger at Rick, "Make sure those three don't drink themselves to death…"

"On my word, Cat," he replied with a soft grin, glancing quickly at his wife. Well, hopefully he'd get them all safely off to bed before taking his wife to their room for a little private time. I could only hope, though, that Carl was a heavy sleeper; I had the feeling he would be sharing a room with his parents and that just creeped me the hell out.

_Actually…,_ I quirked a brow, changing course and making my way to the rec room. I knew that he had his stuff set up in his parents' room, but it would be kind of nice for the kids to have their own little sleepover, one where there wasn't a chance of waking up and catching a pair of amorous adults in the act.

Opening the door, I watched Sophia, Carl, and Jake look up from their game. Winfield was asleep on one of the cushions, though he lifted his head and let out a small noise at my arrival. They had been playing one of my favorites as a kid; Bargain Hunter. But they didn't seem to be having all that easy of a time and, every now and then, a bellowing laugh had them glancing toward the door.

"Hey, guys, aren't you getting tired yet?" I queried, shutting the door behind me and strolling into the room.

"Are you guys still drinking?" Carl questioned, a blank, innocent stare on his face as he looked between me and the door, "how can you drink that stuff? It tasted awful…"

"Well, it's kind of an acquired thing," I replied, quirking a brow and dropping myself onto the floor between my brother and Sophia, "and I stopped drinking a while ago. They, on the other hand," I stated, jerking a finger over my shoulder, "prob'ly won't be stopping anytime soon."

Jake shook his head and nodded toward the board game, "I know you love this. Wanna play? I couldn't really teach them; I don't know the rules that well…"

"Sure," I replied, gesturing to the pieces, "pick your colors and I'll tell you how this works." Dutifully, they did as I said and I found myself with a fake, yellow credit card and a thimble-like piece. Quirking a curious brow, I muttered under my breath, "Why the hell would a bunch of scientists be playing Bargain Hunter?"

"Why not?" Sophia queried simply, shrugging a shoulder and placing her piece on start, "can I go first?"

WDWDWDWDWDWDWD

After nearly an hour of playing, the door opened behind us and Lori and Carol made their way into the room. Both looked less than drunk, though I had to wonder where in the hell Lori's pants went.

Weirdo…

"Mama, Cat said we could have a sleepover!" Sophia exclaimed excitedly, shooting me a wide, bright smile, "well, if you said it was okay… She was thinking me, Jake, and Carl could get our own room and play games and stuff!"

Carol looked at me over her daughter's head and I offered her a shrug and a crooked smile, "Jenner said there're plenty of rooms. Why not give the kids their own?"

"Lori?" Carol queried cautiously, sending three hopeful little faces in the brunette's direction. She simply raised her hands and laughed, "I guess so, if y'all promise to behave and don't make too much noise…"

Before any of the kids could make a snide (probably innocent, but it would come out as snarky, I assumed, to a drunk Lori) remark, I shot her a smirk, "Like any of us were quiet in the kitchen… Rowdy kids or drunken adults, I think I'd take the kids…"

She nodded slowly, lifting a shoulder and grinning down at the kids, "Go get your stuff. Carol an' I'll help you set up."

They cheered, throwing down their notepads and leaping to their feet. Without another word, they set off in search of what little belongings they had left, Carl scooping up my raccoon as he went. Well, looked like they took my pet, the damn kids; with a laugh, I began to clean up our game. I could've swept them all, really, but figured it'd be nicer to let them have their fun and beat an adult at her own game.

Lori was searching the bookshelves for something good to read and I busied myself looking for some other games the kids might like. Obviously there were no age-appropriate books for them to take on their mini sleepover, but there were plenty of games. Monopoly, Sorry, even Hungry, Hungry Hippos. Looks like even scientists needed to revert every once in a while…

Carol picked up a box and held it up, her brow furrowed low over her dark eyes, "Twister?"

"Kinky," I snorted, earning a laugh from the other two women, before I protested emphatically, "okay, why else would adults have Twister in their damn break room?"

"Should take that with you," Lori teased, quirking a brow, "you an' Daryl could have a little fun with that, I'm sure…"

"Whoa, whoa," I laughed, raising my hands and blushing, "we don't need Twister… But," I mused, eyeing the box from Carol's hands, "now that you mention it, I don't think it'd hurt to ask…"

"C'mon, the two of you don't need Twister," Carol laughed, setting the box down and fisting her hands on her hips, "I saw the looks over dinner… I'm surprised he didn't try and come find you yet…"

Brows high on my forehead, I gaped at the once subdued woman; the death of her husband had been her freedom, then. She could do anything she wanted, talk any way she wanted now that he was gone. Truth be told, I was happy for her, so instead of retorting, I simply smiled and replied, "Touché."

With a wave, I grabbed what games I had gathered, leaving Twister behind in case she wanted it – though, had to admit, the thought of her and Dale playing Twister (especially if it was kinky) had me gagging – and heading off in search of the kids. They had picked out a room, one that was full of plush couches and free of windows – perfect in case Jenner had been wrong and walkers could actually make their way in – and had already started building a fort. Well, the boys were trying to teach Sophia, at least; with a dad like hers, I doubted she had many friends and I already knew she had no siblings. What a sad childhood, if she'd never even built a fort before.

"Here guys," I announced, setting the board games down on a table, "I thought you guys might like these. Make sure you don't stay up all night and keep your lights on low. Voices down, you get the idea…"

They nodded, smiling and surveying their work. Carl gestured to the impressive creation, "What do you think?"

"I think it'll do fine," I replied with a laugh, ruffling his hair and giving them all hugs. I pulled Jake aside, drawing him into a hug and pecking his cheek, "Make sure you come get me if you need anything, okay?"

"Sure, Cat," he replied, jogging over to the fort and slipping inside. He pulled out a sleepy-looking Winfield and offered him to me, "Do you wanna take him with you? We might keep him up if we're playing games and stuff…"

_Hmm, me an' Daryl might, too_, I mused, quirking a brow and drawing my lower lip into my mouth. Shrugging, I offered him a slight grin, patting the raccoon's head, "Nah, I think he'll be fine. If he's really sleepy, he'll go to bed, even if you're loud. Just make sure he doesn't pee on everything, okay?"

"Sure," he laughed, gesturing to a pile of newspapers in the corner, "I figured I'd try and teach him how to go there…"

"Good luck," I teased, kissing his forehead, "night, Jake. I love you."

"Love you, too, Cat," he beamed, pecking my cheek before returning to his architecture lesson with the others.

Shaking my head, I grinned and headed out of the room, making my way down the darkened corridors and toward the showers. There was a little laughter further down the hall, back in the direction of the kitchen, but I wanted to be clean. God, did I want to be clean. I hadn't gotten a chance to clean up since before we'd left for Atlanta, and that had been at least a week. Or more. I couldn't honestly remember…

Tiptoeing past some of the bedrooms, I peered into the bathroom. I called out, but no one answered and my grin simply grew. Resting my forehead on the threshold, I closed my eyes and did a little fist pump; real, hot showers.

Suddenly, two arms shot out and wrapped themselves around my waist, hoisting me easily into the air. I gasped and swung hard at their face, earning an irritated growl in response as I hit my target.

"Th' hell was that for, Kit?"

"Maybe if you didn't sneak up on me in the dark, I wouldn't punch you, asshole," I snarled, yanking myself from Daryl's arms and offering him a heated frown, "what if it wasn't you? What if it was…"

"Shane?" he queried darkly, resting a forearm on the threshold over my head, leaning down in the darkness and catching my chin with a finger.

"A walker would've been my first choice, but him too, yeah," I replied with a huff, my eyes drawn to his soft, alluring mouth as he hovered over me, "are you drunk?"

"Not half as drunk as you'd think," he replied with a grin, "got a bottle back in my room if you wanna join me, but figured you might be a little pissed if I got myself too hammered to touch you." His nose brushed against my cheek, inhaling sharply, before his lips molded to the corner of my jaw, "You need a fuckin' shower…"

Cursing, I shoved him hard in the chest and glowered, my face flushed in embarrassment, "Seriously, Daryl? What happened to you not being drunk? Aw, hell, why do I even l-like you?" Biting my tongue, I watched a curious expression pass over his face, his cerulean squinting down at me at my stutter. Honestly, telling him I loved him after he told me I needed to take a shower would be freaking stupid…

"C'mon, Kit, like it ain't true…," he scoffed, though a smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth as he locked his fingers with mine, drawing them to his waist, "I didn't say I don't need one either…"

"No, cuz you definitely do," I replied, drawing my lips to one side and running my eyes along his dirty face, "least I don't smell like a nasty caveman…"

"Babe, you sure as hell do," he replied, promptly turning and dragging me into the bathroom, nearly slamming the door shut behind us.

Too stunned to be offended, I laughed and shoved him hard in the shoulder, earning a smirk from my hunter, who decided to pin me to the wall. He held my hands over my head, his large, warm body trapping me against the wall. Our faces mere inches apart, I stared up into his rugged face, capturing his cerulean gaze with my chestnut one.

"Where'd you disappear to?" he queried, his voice an octave deeper, sending a trail of pleasant chills up my body and through to my core. He dropped his face to my collarbone, his lips hovered a hair's breadth above my skin. His warm breath stretched across the skin there and I could almost feel his lips curl upward as I inhaled sharply.

"Thought I'd play with the kids a little," I replied, deciding that two sure as hell could play at that game. I leaned up and gave his earlobe a sharp tug with my teeth, earning a low, warning growl from the hunter. Resting back against the wall, I stared up at him, an innocent expression on my face that belied the gleam in my eyes, "Figured if we could have our fun, why couldn't they?"

"Hmm, they wouldn't wanna have this kind of fun," he mused, stepping away from me and heading deeper into the bathroom. The shower room was actually a group of showerheads lined along most of the walls, a few curtains cutting off the others from view. Of course, I intended to keep Daryl Dixon in my sights at all times, so I simply pushed the shower curtains away and began turning on the faucets.

He started to do the same until we had about five or six showerheads facing one corner, the water streaming out in steady, hot waves. My clothing immediately soaked through, but that was fine with me; they were overdue for a good washing anyway.

Kicking off my boots, I turned and watched him lean against the wall, the steady spray of water beating down on his hard, muscular form. Grinning, I swallowed thickly and quirked a brow, "You just gonna stand there in your Sunday best, then?"

"Just wonderin' if you were gonna give me a show," he retorted easily, glancing up and down my form with a predatory glint in his darkened eyes.

"And just stand there while I did?" I queried with a scoff, slipping my socks off and stepping under the water, "doesn't seem like a very Daryl Dixon thing to do…" As the beads trickled down along my skin, I laughed to myself and threw my head back, allowing my hair to soak through.

"Didn't really think it through," he smirked, kicking his boots off and shoving himself away from the wall. He closed the distance between us, his hair a shade darker as the water trickled through it, trailing clean streaks down along his dirtied cheeks. Almost immediately, his hands sought out my waist, his large, calloused fingers slipping beneath my shirt and up along my body.

Humming in response, I leaned into him, my hands immediately going for the buttons of his torn shirt. It didn't take long for me to undo each of them, running my hands along his chest and over his shoulders as I shoved the shirt from his body. His lips melded to my neck, running warm, open-mouthed kisses from my jaw to my collarbone, his fingers stretching ever higher.

Lifting my arms, I allowed him to pull the shirt from my body and discard it with his on the floor in a soaking heap. His rough fingers hooked around my back, easily undoing the clasp of my bra before that too dropped to the ground. He stepped back for a moment, staring down at me, his hands resting on the curve of my waist, before he grinned, attacking my mouth with surprising vigor.

Stumbling backwards, I was thankful for the wall to catch me before I slipped and fell to the ground; still, Daryl wouldn't have let me take a nosedive to the hard, slippery porcelain below, not with his hands attached to my waist and his mouth to mine. The tiles were freezing beneath the bare skin of my back and I inadvertently arched against him.

He groaned in response and cupped his large hands around my ribs, giving me a light squeeze and muttering, "Fuck, I knew this was a good idea…"

"You're so…," I trailed off, my fingers brushing along his belt buckle. I was gonna say cocky, but figured I'd get a snide remark, so I simply tilted my head and pressed a kiss to his chest, just over his heart, "You're an arrogant bastard, ya know that, Daryl?"

"Well, hell, course I did," he replied with a smug smirk, drawing me away from the wall and dragging me back under the streaming jets. He let out a slight, huffing laugh as I wrapped my arms around his neck, grabbing the back of his head and drawing him down for a kiss. "You know it, too… But ya still like me…"

"Course I do," I rolled my eyes upward, inhaling sharply as he bit my shoulder and cupped a hand around my ass. Giving it a rough squeeze, he grinned against my skin and drew his hand around to my zipper. Unhitching the button, he discarded my pants, though I can honestly say it didn't seem like an easy feat. The material was just as bad as denim and, like jeans, the pants didn't seem to want to come off. After a few choice curses, though, he got rid of them and kissed a trail of kisses up along my stomach until he reached my mouth once more.

He was chomping at the bit, if him helping me take off his own jeans was any indication, and the minute we were both completely unclothed, he hitched a hand under my thigh and pulled it around his waist. I wrapped the other leg around him as well, my arms wrapped tightly around his neck as I poured my heart and soul out to him in a long, slow kiss.

WDWDWDWDWDWDWD

Forty minutes later, I cried out once more into Daryl's shoulder, my fingers grasping almost painfully at his hair. He grunted, kissing the top of my head, before slowly disentangling himself from me. The water had gone cold at least fifteen minutes ago, but, honestly, the heat coursing between Daryl and I more than made up for it.

Now sufficiently clean – we had taken an actual break at one point to take real showers, he leaned against the wall beside me, the two of us sinking down to the floor in exhaustion. Reaching a hand up, I turned at least one of the showerheads off, wrapping my arms around myself to keep warm now that our escapades were over. He leaned down, capturing my mouth in another slow, torturous kiss, before standing and noting gruffly, "Be right back."

As he went, he turned off the rest of the showers, setting off in search of probably a few towels. I amused myself by watching him go; man, did he have a nice ass… Actually, there wasn't a single thing about him that I didn't like, at least physically. On the other hand, he had kind of an asshole-ish temper, one that he seriously needed to reign in around people. Like Jenner. And Rick. And Shane. And, well, I could go on…

The cross that _abuela_ had given me sat atop our clothes – I felt a little weird making love to Daryl and still wearing it – and I bit my lip, chewing lightly on it as I weighed my options. Give it to him now? After we had just spent nearly an hour wrapped up in one another, silently declaring what _abuela_ had told me to tell him aloud?

It seemed as good a place and as good a time as any, but I was a little more than anxious at his reaction. So I crawled across the slick floor, picking up the smooth, silver thing and running a thumb across it.

"Never did tell me why she gave you that," Daryl noted, coming back into view with a large, fluffy towel wrapped around his waist. He had another in his hand and, as I stood, he wrapped it around me, tucking it in over my breasts and running his hands along my waist.

Humming, I lifted a shoulder and stated, "Well, it's not actually _for_ me…"

At his silent frown, I simply lifted it and draped it around his neck, the metal gleaming against his damp chest in the dim lighting. He lifted a hand, fingering it, before squinting and frowning down at me, "What's this for?"

Lips pursed, I tentatively looped my arms around his waist, "It's for you. To protect you. She told me to give it to you, cuz she knows I love you…"

The silence was deafening and, while I hadn't expected him to say it back, at least not right away, I found myself shifting awkwardly from foot to foot. He didn't meet my gaze, but stared steadily at the cross, his frown deepening as the seconds ticked by.

There was a knock on the door and I suddenly stepped away from Daryl; his head snapped up, his deep, intense gaze completely unreadable, and watched me squat and gather up our clothes. There was a pile in the other room, so I hurriedly passed him and dropped them, my feet slapping against the tiles as I made for the exit.

Before I made it too far, though, Daryl latched onto my arm, nearly plowing me into the wall as he kissed me deeply, his fingers burrowing into my hair. What kisses we'd shared before were nothing compared to this; his passion, his feeling, nearly blew my mind as he pressed himself flush against me.

The knock sounded again and Shane's voice called out, wild and loud, "Hell, if y'all don't get outta there I'm gonna come barrelin' in… Takin' a goddamn hour? Who th' hell do y'all think you are?"

Growling under his breath, Daryl stalked toward the door, leaving me breathless and gaping, and yanked it open. Shane stumbled in, scowling darkly at Daryl, leaning against the threshold, a near empty bottle in hand.

"Shit, now I gotta take a shower after you two been doin' it fer how long in here?" he growled, a sneer tugging at him mouth, "you two're worse than damn jackrabbits…"

Before I knew what was happening, Daryl gave a powerful swing and caught Shane across the mouth. The deputy dropped to his knees and it was then that I saw the deep gouges on his neck. Taking off quickly, I latched onto Daryl before he could get another punch in, dragging him backwards and to the ground.

"Let go o' me!" he bellowed, struggling against me and nearly suffocating me with his heavy self, but I held steady and waited for him to calm down enough, "damn it, lemme go, Kit! Lemme teach this bastard a damn lesson!"

Shane stumbled to his feet and took a few steps toward Daryl, before Rick and T-Dog appeared in the threshold and got hold of him.

Ripping himself from their grasp, Shane waved the bottle and stalked forward, ignoring Daryl and I on the ground and disappearing into the showers. T-Dog chuckled to himself, but stepped forward with Rick and haul Daryl off of me.

Like Shane, he ripped himself from their hold, never sparing me a glance as he stalked off down the hall. Staring at the ceiling, I pursed my lips, trying to will the blush away. Yeah, laying on the bathroom floor in a towel… really?

Still, Rick helped me stand, offering me a sheepish smile, "Might wanna go see if you can calm him down…"

Offering him a thumbs-up, I hurried past him and barely as I called out in a hiss, "Tell anyone about that an' I'll kick your asses…"

T-Dog's laugh followed me down the freaking hall.

WDWDWDWDWDWDWDWD

Shoving the door open, I fisted my hands on my hips as Daryl tugged on a pair of cleaner pants. The cross dangled from his neck as he ran a hand through his hair, a dark frown tugging at his mouth. He was muttering under his breath, cursing the existence of Shane Walsh no doubt, but turned to glance at me as I approached.

"Th' hell do you want?" he growled, pausing in his pacing long enough to sneer at me before continuing on with his tantrum.

"To talk to you," I replied seriously, stalking into the room and shutting the door behind me, folding my arms across my chest, "Shane's a dick; you and I both know that. But you can't let him get to you like this…"

"He's the fuckin' jackrabbit," he growled, jerking a finger toward the door, "he's a fuckin'… sleepin' around with someone else's wife an' he acts like _we're_ the ones who're disgustin'? You…"

"I love you," I nodded, striding forward and catching his arm, resting my palm over the cross, his heart, "and hell, maybe he does love Lori. But I love you. So don't listen to what he says, cuz we're not just a couple of people who're together just to be together…"

Right?

He must have sensed the lingering question, because he turned sharply, his eyes narrowing in concern, in question. Did I think he felt the same? Was I questioning his feelings for me? _Did_ he feel the same?

He strode forward, wrapping his arms around me and pulling me into his chest, "Hell no, we ain't…"

My nostrils flared as I stared up into his deep, blazing eyes; _say it. Can you? Will you, Daryl?_ I found myself leading, silent and anxious, that he would.

He loosened his hold on me only slightly, before pressing his warm lips to my mouth, sighing against my lips before he pulled away. Resting his forehead against mine, his frown tugged further down and he stared at my now bare neck. Brushing his fingers along my skin, he growled low under his breath.

And I waited.

WDWDWDWDWDDWWD

So, should Daryl say it back? I was considering a fight between them because he wouldn't say it, but I dunno. Would it be Daryl-esque to tell her how he feels or to blow up? Remember, he was kind of sweeeeeet in the second season!

Nelle07: haha yes it is!

LovelySpecter: Thank ya! Haha, I know, he just seems the type to always stumble into awkwardness. I'm so glad you liked it!

xXx Tinkies xXx: Thanks! I hope you think it was; I'm not too good with these scenes, so we'll see!

RAINRAIN9: Haha, of course he is! Did ya like this one? I hope so!

Killer K: Aw thanks! I was a little nervous when it started out; sometimes long reviews aren't always good ones! But I'm glad you're enjoying it! I'm glad you like Cat; I was a little nervous as to how it would go. But yay! And I love to see that Daryl's still in character… there should be more CDC-ness too, so woo!

Eloquent dreams: Haha yes he is… dreamy… woo! I am always jealous of my OCs haha, damn…

Maii: thank you! I'm so glad you like it :D

Leyshla Gisel: haha woo! So glad you liked it! I know, I hate when Jim dies; I wish he didn't!

Dalonega Noquisi: Thanks! Ah, yes, he is gorgeous! Yeah, that was something I could just see him doing, silly caveman ;D Of course he does! Haha I forgot about this review and then after I wrote it I read them all again – it was dead on with what I wrote haha

Ellen-and-Keats4eva: ohh me too!

AngelVamp6688: Ah thank you! Welcome welcome! I'm so glad you liked it, I always try to do my best. Thank you so much; writing is definitely my passion so I love hearing things like this! I hope you like this chapter too!

Walkingdead99: Thank you!

Grim1989: Gah I want it! I know, I didn't like Lori either; sometimes she just drives me absolutely nuts! Andrea can be annoying, but really, she's not as bad as Lori. At least I don't think lol. Ah, do you like the shower scene? It wasn't too in depth, but maybe the next one will be…


	23. End of Time

I know apologies don't do much, but I'm sorry for the delay. It's been hectic at work and I haven't had time to do anything, even write my own stuff. I figured I'd update this, mainly cuz I still adore Daryl beyond belief…

Disclaimer: I own nothing pertaining to _the Walking Dead_… if I did, Daryl would be mine… I swear, he'd be locked away in my house ;D

Chapter Twenty: End of Time

_My nostrils flared as I stared up into his deep, blazing eyes;__say it. _Can you? Will you, Daryl?_I found myself leading, silent and anxious, that he would._

_He loosened his hold on me only slightly, before pressing his warm lips to my mouth, sighing against my lips before he pulled away. Resting his forehead against mine, his frown tugged further down and he stared at my now bare neck. Brushing his fingers along my skin, he growled low under his breath._

_And I waited._

"You know how I feel," he grunted after a moment's silence, brushing his fingers along my neck. The heat from our earlier shower and the natural friction between us had me flushing; my palms rested on his bare chest, running up and squeezing his shoulders. He fingered the hem of my towel – I had almost forgotten I'd been wearing it – his bright, cerulean eyes lifting to meet mine.

Silence surrounded us and I blinked, willing him to say what I wanted him to. He growled once more, tugging the towel from my body and pulling me flush against him, "I want you. All th' time. When I see you talkin' ta other guys, even that damned, goody-toe-shoes cop, I wanna beat their heads in…"

"That's a little extreme," I teased, my body buzzing as he ran a hand up along my back, his fingers tracing my spine, "but go on…"

"It's true," he affirmed, smirking broadly and pressing his lips to the corner of my mouth. He tilted his head, trailing hot, toe-curling kisses along my jaw and to my ear. Teeth grazing my ear, he breathed, "I'd die fer you, Kit…"

My heart thumped uncomfortably in my chest and I leaned back just enough to peer through the darkness into his handsome face. His eyes were blazing, his jaw clenching as he stared down at me; the surprise on my face probably made him a little nervous, but, honestly, after such a confession, I couldn't even remember how to speak.

Wrapping my arms around his neck, I dragged his face down to meet mine, pulling him into a heated kiss. For now, that was good enough for me…

~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~

Draped across Daryl's chest, I found myself stirring beneath the touch of his rough, calloused hands. Burrowing my face into his neck, I pressed a kiss against his pulse, "What time is it?"

If my voice sounded a little strained, you could blame Daryl for that one; we'd spent a good hour and a half carrying on where we'd left off in the shower. I was hoping the rest of the compound didn't hear me begging Daryl for more; how awkward would that be?

"Late," he replied, massaging the nape of my neck and pulling me further up along his chest. We both groaned at the delicious feeling of our bodies rubbing against each other, but I was too goddamn tired to do anything more than run my hands through his dampened hair. "Think everyone's in their rooms by now…"

Sighing wistfully, I peered up into his sleepy, lovely eyes, "How long've you been up?"

He shrugged, reaching for the bottle of wine on his nightstand, "Don't know. You been asleep fer an hour, maybe more…" He rested one hand on the small of my back and worked at the bottle's cork with the other; it didn't seem to be working out too well, but he was reluctant to let me go, it seemed. In the end, he put the cork between his teeth and gave it a hard yank, spitting it out across the room where it landed with a soft thump.

Inhaling silently, I rolled off of him and stared up at the ceiling before stretching out my arms and legs. I was sore, but delightfully so, and hoisted myself into a sitting position beside him. He stared up at me, offering me the bottle, but I forewent it, pressing my mouth to his and working our slow, steady kiss into a far more heated one.

"Unless you wanna follow up on this," he mused between kisses, propping himself up against the headboard, "you better stop, Kit…"

Laughing against his mouth, I did as he asked and leaned against the cool wall behind me. Drawing my knees to my chest, I rested my elbows on my knees, "How long do you think we'll stay here?"

"Hell, if there's enough food, beds, an' showers, I don't plan on leavin'," he replied, taking a deep swig of the wine, offering the bottle to me once more.

Shrugging, I accepted it and took a sip. Like I'd said, I was never a big fan of alcohol, but who knew if I'd ever have any again. Might as well have a little; I deserved it, lying in bed with a gorgeous, burly man after hours of amazing sex.

"Sounds like a good plan to me," I laughed, running a hand through my short locks, peering at the clock on the other side of the room. Through the darkness, I could barely make out the numbers; 3:45. Everyone else had probably passed out by now, too much alcohol in their systems to stay up any later.

Why Daryl hadn't yet, I didn't know, but I had the feeling he liked watching me sleep. The idea had my stomach fluttering excitedly; everything that man did enthralled me.

Climbing out of bed, I headed in the direction of a small, shower-less bathroom in the far end of the room. The tiles beneath my feet were freezing, but it was a relief compared to the heat outside.

Taking care of business, I examined myself in the mirror for a moment. Daryl happened to be a biter and, as much of a turn-on as it was, I didn't have the proper make-up to conceal it. Ah well, it's not like no one was oblivious to the fact that we were together…

Rubbing a particularly sore hickey at the base of my neck, I tiptoed back into the room, toward the bed. Daryl was grinning, that same, exciting predatory gaze flashing through his darkened eyes as I flushed. Rubbing the back of my neck, I made to speak, but I just let out an awkward laugh.

He rolled his eyes upward but yanked the blanket back for me to climb in beside him. Well, I found myself staring at his delectable body for a moment, before shaking my head and burrowing into the sheets. He covered us both, setting the wine on the table, and pulling me back onto his chest.

Sighing heavily, I pressed a kiss over his heart and found myself drifting off into a contented sleep.

WDWDWDWDWDWD

The next morning, I found myself alone in bed, nestled in the larger indent from Daryl's body. Peering blearily through the room, I glanced around for any sign of him; he wasn't in the room, it seemed.

Curious, I pushed myself up and stretched, calling out for my lover. He didn't respond, so I dropped myself back onto the mattress, sighing wistfully. If our mind-blowing encounters were the last we ever had, I couldn't say that I'd been disappointed. Daryl was a thorough lover, intense, yes, but I loved him that way. Yeah, if a zombie bit into me, I'd at least be fine with the fact that Daryl and I had shared some memorable hours together in the throes of passion.

But would a walker even get into me?

Daryl swore he would die for me and I knew it wasn't something he meant to be taken lightly. He had been serious when he'd said it; Daryl Dixon would, indeed, lay down his life if it meant saving mine. The thought sent pleasant chills through me, followed by terrified ones; I didn't want to see Daryl in the jaws of a walker.

Sure he was badass, but if one got the jump on him, there would be no hope for him. There'd been no hope for Amy, for Mike, for Tory, for any of them…

Shaking the thoughts of a walker's decaying jaws around Daryl's throat from my mind, I peered at the door as it slipped open. Daryl stood, engulfing most of the threshold, some clothes in his hands. A cocky grin slipped across his face as he tossed the denim over his shoulder and shut the door behind him, "Wish I had a camera…"

Letting out a sheepish laugh, I ran a hand through my bangs and stared up at him, "Yeah, yeah; what d'you have?"

"Figured you wouldn't wanna wander around in nothin'," he noted, tossing the clothes on the bed and reaching for the wine bottle, "much as I'd like it, I don't want anyone else starin' at you like that…"

Thanking him, I pushed the sheets away from me and retrieved the shirt he'd brought. He pulled the shirt from my hands, catching my arm and pulling me toward him. Capturing my mouth with his, he sucked on my lower lip and grinned, "Damn, I'll never get tired o' doin' that…"

"I'll never get tired of you doing that," I agreed, sifting through the clothes and offering him a curious frown, "where's my underwear, Daryl?"

Lifting a shoulder, he offered me a dangerous grin, "Didn't think you'd need any…"

Rolling my eyes upward, I flushed and shimmied into the jean shorts he'd brought me. They were cleaner than most of my belongings, which was nice that he'd taken the time to find them for me, but I'd really like some damn underwear… Hooking a bra around my chest, I yanked the shirt over my head and crossed my legs atop the bed.

"When'd you leave?" I questioned, stretching my feet with a palm and staring up at the handsome hunter before me, "is everyone else awake?"

"Little while ago," he replied, reaching out and grabbing my leg, pulling me toward him and kissing my thigh, "why do you care if everyone else is up?"

"I happen to like them, that's why," I rolled my eyes upward, catching his face in a hand and stroking his jaw with a thumb, "they're nice people…"

Daryl snorted, but crawled over me, his arms caging me between him and the bed. Kissing my jaw, he licked my neck and scoffed, "Sure they are…"

"Most of them are," I admitted, silently acknowledging that I wasn't a fan of Shane. Running my hand through the back of his hair, I massaged the nape of his neck, "And I wanna know if Dale hooked up with Carol last night."

Daryl's tongue froze against my skin and he pulled away, a look of utter disgust plastered across his scruffy face, "Th' hell did you just say?"

"Oh, come on, if you weren't staring at me like you wanted to eat me last night…," he snorted against my skin and I felt an embarrassed flush rising along my chest, "you would've seen the looks he was shooting her… They looked like they were totally gonna get it on; I wanna see if they actually did…"

"That's so fuckin' disgustin', babe," he shook his head, hauling himself from the bed and offering me a hand. Accepting it, I allowed him to pull me from the bed and toward the door, "I'll be lucky if I don't puke when I see 'em…"

"C'mon, don't you think everyone else wants to puke when they see us?" I queried, wrapping an arm low around his waist and tucking my hand in his back pocket. He gave me a dangerous grin and tugged me into his side, his teeth seeking the soft skin of my collarbone, "You think I care what they think?"

"Then you say anything about Dale and Carol, Daryl," I retorted, letting out a soft moan as he hit a particularly sensitive spot and grinned against my flesh, "if you do, I'll punch you in the face."

"You wouldn't do that to me," he stated, removing his mouth from my body, letting out a low growl at my whining protest.

"Fine, but I'll withhold sex," I assured him, worming my way out of his grasp and jogging toward the kitchen. Ignoring his groan at the threat, I slipped into the room and grinned broadly at the hangover sufferers.

Clapping loudly, I let out a cheer, "_Alright_! Which ones are hung-over?"

"Pretty much everyone," Lori noted with a grin, glancing at her husband as he rested his head on the table. She rubbed his back, eyeing him lovingly and shooting me an amused grin, "How's Daryl?"

"He must be immune to hangovers," I noted with a laugh, peering over my shoulder as he strode into the room, a sour grimace on his face, "aren'tcha?"

He lifted a shoulder, "Me an' Merle got hammered all th' time. I'm used to it… A few bottles a wine don't do much to me anymore…"

Striding toward my brother and his friends, I ruffled Jake's hair and pecked his cheek, "How was your fort?"

"Great!" Jake exclaimed, his eyes bright as he turned to Sophia and Carl, "it fell down in the middle of the night, but we fixed it easy… And Winfield learned to go to the bathroom on the paper!"

"After he peed on my blankets," Carl noted with a frown, shaking his head as Sophia giggled, "it was gross! It soaked through on my legs!"

This had his two companions snorting and giggling into their milk, Sophia wiping her hand across her mouth, "You should've heard him scream!"

"That was him?" Rick questioned suddenly, rolling his forehead on the table to look up at me, "I thought it was… uh… never mind…"

The others at the table – without pounding headaches – laughed loudly at the sheriff's comment; oh, so he'd thought it was me?

"C'mon, Rick, _really_?" I queried, grimacing and avoiding Daryl's gaze at all costs. Sure, he'd made me scream, but I thought I'd been a lot quieter than that…

"I was drunk," he whined, reaching a hand out toward his wife for some aspirin, "I don't know…"

T-Dog was dishing eggs out to each person at the table, though the young Korean looked more than little green around the gills at the sight of food. Skipping toward the other end of the table, where my other kids were sprawled, I draped an arm around Riley's neck, shaking her; even though it wasn't a rough shake, she still groaned and swatted me away as though I'd punched her hard in the back of the head, "_Stooopppp_…"

Danny cradled his head in his hands, sticking his tongue out at me as he skinned an eye at me. Grimacing as the light burned his corneas, he burrowed his face into his arms once more and moaned, "Get away, Kitkat… did anyone ever tell you you were a bitch?"

"More than once," I replied, grinning broadly at Andrea as she snorted and pressed a bag of ice to her forehead, "these eggs look delicious, guys. Look at them… they're all fluffy and yellow… They smell _so_ good…"

A chorus of groans echoed around the table; cackling evilly, I retrieved a plate and gave T-Dog a one-armed hug, "Thanks for the breakfast, bud…"

"No prob, gorgeous," he replied, ruffling my bedhead; he stepped away rather quickly, though as Daryl let out a slight warning growl, "sorry Dixon… couldn't help myself…"

"Guess I'm just irresistible," I mused, clicking my tongue and making my way toward an empty seat at the table beside Dale. He was mowing down on his breakfast, a contented grin on his face. Peering at the collar of his shirt, I fought the urge to gasp; there, clear as day, was a hickey.

My eyes darted up to meet Daryl's, and he must've seen something similar on Carol, because he offered me a disgusted frown. Shaking my head, I subtly reminded him of my warning; he simply pursed his lips and made his way toward the counter, away from the rest of us. Nudging Dale in the arm, I raised a questioning brow.

Chuckling, he answered me without a word.

Holy _hell_… Fighting the urge to give him a high-five, I glanced up as Shane entered the room. He was dressed in his sheriff's shirt once more, the top few buttons undone, and the jagged scratches standing out obviously against his olive skin.

"What happened to you?" Rick questioned, his voice hoarse, husky, as he lifted his heavy head and stared at his best friend.

"Musta done it to myself durin' the night," the deputy lied easily, pouring himself a cup of coffee, his eyes drifting toward Lori. She shifted uncomfortably – she was scared, even – and hastily looked away from him.

Glancing quickly at Daryl, I quirked a brow, wondering if he had noticed what I'd seen the night before; those scratches were there when he encountered us in the showers. He hadn't been asleep at all between dinner and the encounter, so when had he _done it to himself_? He had been enraged, too; what happened between him and Lori that had her so anxious and him so upset?

Daryl's eyes blazed, fury slowly roiling through his deep cerulean gaze. Eyes narrowing, I wrinkled my nose; if it had him pissed and her terrified… I found myself mouthing 'defense?' before I could stop it.

He simply offered a sharp nod; dropping his furious gaze to Shane. Well, if there was one thing that pissed Daryl off more than walkers, it seemed, it was attempted rapists…

Before he could start a fist-fight at the table, stood and made my way over to him, hopping onto the counter beside him. Grabbing his arm, I dragged him to stand in front of me, between my legs, my arms draped over his shoulders. Pressing my mouth to his ear, I muttered sharply, "You can't say anything, Daryl…"

"Looks like he fuckin' tried to rape her, Kit," he muttered, his shoulders tensed beneath my arms, his own folded tightly over his chest, "that ain't fuckin' right…"

"You know that and I know that," I slapped his chest as he made to disentangle himself from me, "but if she didn't say anything to Rick, I doubt she wants _us_ to say anything either… Don't bring it up, Daryl… It's their business…"

I wished I sounded more convinced than I felt. As we stared at the table, watching Lori fruitlessly trying to escape Shane's unblinking stare, I hooked my feet around Daryl's thighs; if he wanted to make for the table, I'd try to put up as much resistance as I could. I wanted to beat Shane's face in for what it seemed he did the night before, but if anyone was gonna do it, it should have been Rick.

Right?

His back was rigid against my chest, his shoulders taut, but he seemed to accept what I'd said… for the moment, anyway.

"I'm _never_ drinking again," Glenn moaned, lifting his head from the table and rubbing his eyes blearily, "please, never let me drink again…"

"You'll prob'ly never get a chance to drink again after this," Jacqui noted, chewing at her nail and hiding a grin behind her hand, "don't worry about it…"

"After what?" T-Dog queried, folding his hands behind his head and regarding her incredulously, "girl, I don't think I'm leavin' here, ever… We got food, shelter, water…"

"Showers," I added, a bright smile on my face, hoping my revelation of what happened between Shane and Lori wasn't etched across my face, "I could get used to showers again."

"And beds," Carol noted, a shy smile directed at Dale; who else noticed that? Daryl, obviously, from the grimace that ran through him beneath my touch.

"_Yes_," Jacqui exclaimed, earning another round of moans from the drunkards at the table, "I _love_ beds…"

Lori laughed tensely along with the others, but Shane slammed his mug on the table a little harder than necessary. He stiffened, rubbing the scratches along his neck and eyeing her, lips pursed in irritation.

"Where's Dr. Jenner?" I queried loudly, Daryl jerking away from my face with a growl, "I haven't seen him all morning. Where is he?"

"Haven't seen him," Dale noted, leaning back in his chair, his hands clasped contentedly across his stomach, "he's got to be around here somewhere, though…"

"Maybe he's in the computer lab," Andrea suggested, though she made no move to stand. Rick, however, seemed rather interested at the mention of the scientist. We hadn't really discussed what the CDC had learned about the walkers the night before, but now that we were relatively safe and well-rested, he wanted to know.

Hell, I did, too.

Patting Daryl's chest, I murmured in his ear, "Should we go see what he's doin'?"

"I guess," he replied, lifting a shoulder and stepping away from the counter before I could release him, "better than standin' 'round here an' wishin' I could beat _him_ in the face…"

Now piggyback on Daryl, I unlatched my legs from his thighs and dropped to the ground. He peered over his shoulder at me, a brow quirked in mild amusement, "I'da let you ride me ta th' lab… It's not like you haven' done it b'fore…"

Blushing, I shoved him hard in the shoulder and stepped away from him, "Wanna put some space between Lori and Shane?"

He shrugged again, but led me toward the others, strategically inserting the pair of us in the middle of the pack, between the sheriff's wife and his best friend. Shane said nothing, though I could feel his dark gaze on me as we walked. After a moment's silence, he rested a hand on my shoulder and muttered, "Can I talk ta you, Cat?"

"I dunno, Shane," I replied coolly, resting a warning hand on Daryl's arm as he glowered at the deputy, "gonna accuse me of bein' a jackrabbit again? I don't really appreciate comments like that, ya know…"

"I know," he sighed heavily, rubbing his forehead and dragging a hand along his jaw, "I'm sorry. Ta both of you. It was wrong for me to say that; I don't know why I did… I'm regrettin' a lot of things I did last night…"

The last part was muttered under his breath, but both Daryl and I heard him. _I'm sure you are regretting it, Shane_, I mused, snorting and waving his apology off, "It's fine, Shane. It's forgotten…"

He nodded, grinning and pressing a kiss to my cheek, disappearing into the back of the crowd before Daryl could slam his fist into the Italian's face. T-Dog maneuvered himself between Shane and my hunter now, raising his hands and muttering, "Let it go, man. You know it don't mean anything…"

"Believe him, Daryl," I grabbed onto his arm, hoping it'd be enough to calm my hot-tempered lover, "let it go… Count to ten. Do something…"

"I wanna do somethin'," my hunter snarled, his fists clenched at his sides as we made our way through the narrow hallway, "bash him over th' head with a bottle or somethin'…"

It sounded like a good plan to me, but I'd rather not have a civil war break out in the middle of the CDC.

We filtered into the computer lab and no more was said about Shane's bizarre behavior. I wandered toward a few rolly chairs and dragged Jake along with me; gently shoving him into one of the chairs, I stood over it and watched Rick approach the white-coated doctor.

"So, how was your night?" the doctor questioned, standing and adjusting the lapels of his jacket, regarding us in mild amusement. Something about the doctor always concerned me; there was an underlying hint of sadness etched constantly on his face it seemed… What had this man seen or done to make him so upset?

The resounding chorus of moans answered him; he chuckled and sat on the edge of his desk, "What can I help you with?"

"We were just wondering how far you'd gotten on your research, doctor," Dale stated, a bright smile on his face as he settled beside Carol, who had Sophia sitting on her lap. They were an adorable little family, it seemed, despite the fact that Dale was a little old to be her father. It was cute…

I doubted Daryl and I looked the same, standing over Jake…

"Vi, play recording of Test Subject Nineteen," Dr. Jenner called, glancing at the ceiling. Whatever Vi was replied in a cool, metallic female voice, "Playing recording of Test Subject Ninteen."

A video appeared on screen, a blue and white image of a skull appeared on the wall behind Jenner. He turned toward it, gesturing toward it and noted, "This is a subject, bitten by those things…"

"The walkers?" Rick supplied, rubbing a hand along his scruffy jaw.

"The walkers, yes," Jenner noted, a dry smile on his face, "we tried to examine others, see exactly what happened between the initial bite and reanimation."

Andrea pressed a hand to her mouth, looking incredibly nauseated; Jacqui patted her shoulder and informed Jenner quietly, "She lost someone the other day. It was her sister…"

"I know the feeling," Jenner informed her, far more feeling in his tone than I'd heard before. He rested a hand on her shoulder, earning a small smile from her.

"Most subjects didn't last long enough for us to examine," he continued, staring wistfully at the image of the dying subject. The image flailed slightly, choking on its own vomit, before it fell, motionless, against the table. "This one, this mind was perfect… They offered their body, their mind, for science. To give us a chance to see what happens…"

The bright lights that had been flashing through the victim's skull slowly grew dim, until they faded into nothing. It was a disturbing sight to see, a person's life leaving them, but after a few moments, lights bean flickering from the base of the skull. They were dimmer, yes, but they sparked intermittently in the person's brain.

Jenner continued to explain the situation; apparently, the brain didn't exactly return to full functionality. In fact, most of the brain was dark, except for around the brainstem. Only basic drives returned, in the walkers' cases, the desire to eat. Apparently, that drive focused, for some strange reason, around human flesh. No need for water, no need for sleep.

Just a driving hunger that never ceased… It was disturbing…

The image of the victim moved again, the head turning and tilting, biting at whoever stood over it. The walker had taken over and there was only that hunger…

"The part that makes you what you are… that never comes back," Jenner sighed, rubbing the back of his neck and sighing, "we never did find out what causes it… It's a virus, we know that; but we weren't sure if it's airborne yet."

"That's comforting," I muttered, rolling my eyes and absently running my hand through Jake's hair.

A burst shot through the victim's head, earning startled gasps from more than a few onlookers. Jake jumped against my hand and he reached for my arm. Jacqui pressed a hand to her heart as she exclaimed, "What the hell was that?"

"He shot his subject," Andrea muttered, her tone broken as she met Jenner's gaze, "didn't you?"

"I did what I had to," he muttered, "Vi, shut off the tape."

Vi complied, the screen going blank and the room falling into silence. So, basically, no one knew what had happened, why the outbreak had started, and what we could do to stop it. Walkers would continue to multiply, humans would continue to disappear. We were quickly becoming an endangered species and there was no organization left to stop that.

"I lost connection with the other branches of the CDC," Jenner noted with a sigh, stretching his legs out before him and lowering his gaze, "when the phone lines went down… the internet went down… I had no way to get in touch with them. Everyone here… they _opted_ out. There was nothing left for them; they couldn't handle the thought of them breaking in… of eating them…"

"Well damn, can anyone?" Daryl queried gruffly, his hand subtly stretching out to cup my lower back, "can _you_?"

"I always thought so," Jenner muttered, his gaze falling on the blank screen once more, "I wanted to…"

"I hate to cause anymore turmoil," Dale noted, as everyone shifted uncomfortably in their seats, "but that clock…" He jammed a finger in the direction of a large, digital clock on the far wall, "has been driving me nuts. Why is it counting _down_?"

"When it reaches zero, the basement generators run out of fuel," Jenner noted reluctantly, standing and making his way for the door.

"What happens when the generators run out of fuel?" Rick questioned suddenly, his eyes wide as they darted to his unnerved wife. The air in the room shifted suddenly, a tenseness building quickly at the doctor's announcement. If the power went out, there would be no more food or hot showers; we'd have to leave to find what we needed…

Jenner rubbed a finger over his perspiring upper lip, "It was the French… Last I knew, it was the French who were closest to a cure…"

Rick leapt to his feet, followed by Shane, T-Dog, and Daryl, "C'mon; we have to see if he's right…"

They disappeared quickly, Daryl casting a quick, poignant glance over his shoulder. Meeting my gaze, he nodded swiftly; he'd be back as soon as possible.

Eyeing Jenner carefully, I touched Jake's shoulder, squeezing it lightly. His trembling hand caught mine and he met my gaze, his eyes wide with panic, "What's happening, Cat? What's going on?"

"I dunno, bud," I mused, inhaling sharply, "Daryl's gonna find out, though, don't worry about it. You know he wouldn't let anything happen to us, right?"

"Right," Jake replied, his voice trembling as he drew his legs up beneath his body. Riley and Danny silently made their way toward me, worry etched on their young, tired faces.

"Cat, did we make the right decision, coming here?" Riley questioned softly, rubbing her elbow anxiously and peering dubiously up at Danny.

"I hope so," I replied lightly, a bright smile on my face, one that I couldn't help but feel was quite lacking.

Jenner glanced over at us, meeting my wary gaze headlong. Offering me a soft, sad smile, he nodded fervently, "You did. Believe me; it's far better in here than it is out there… Don't worry; you're safe in here…"

_Are we?_ I questioned slowly, worriedly. I hope he'd been wrong about the power. What would Daryl and the others find? Hopefully barrels and barrels of oil, enough to last us for years…

But, as they returned, hardened frowns on their faces, I knew it wasn't true. Daryl strode up to me, wrapping an arm around my waist and drawing me into his chest, "There's nothin', Kit… Not a damn drop left…"

"So what do we do?" I questioned, my hands finding his upper arms and giving him a light squeeze, "we can't stay here, right?"

"Where's Jenner?" Rick questioned, racking a hand through his hair as the air conditioning drifted off. The clock read no more than thirty minutes; without cool air, we'd be driven out onto the streets before the food could run out.

"He was just here," Dale noted, glancing around curiously. Peering up, we all followed his gaze; Jenner was exiting his office, straightening his coat and tucking an image into his pocket. I found myself wondering who it was…

"What happens when the power goes out?" Rick queried furiously as the doctor returned to the room, "what happens?"

Jenner ignored him and Shane rushed him; T-Dog and Rick stopped him, but the sheriff's deputy never stopped drilling him.

"Vi, what happens when the power goes out?" Rick queried, furious.

The doors snapped shut suddenly and everyone began panicking. Daryl ran at it, breaking the glass for an axe. The door, a heavy, durable metal, never dented beneath his hits, but still he tried. It echoed through the room even as the robotic woman replied to Rick's query.

"Total decontamination," Vi replied, her tone emotionless even as my heart welled with fear. _Decontamination_? What the hell did that mean?

"Explain, Vi," I called, a tremor catching in my throat, "what is total decontamination?"

The robotic voice replied; the answer was _not_ one that I wanted to hear. Apparently the _air_ would catch on fire and we'd be burnt to a crisp. More than one of us was crying, including my brother, and I cradled him to my chest. My heart pounded against his head, his tears soaking through my shirt.

Daryl caught my eye from near the door; he wasn't making any headway and I wanted him to hold me. He dropped the axe, rubbing his damp biceps, and crossed the room, wrapping his arms around me and my brother.

What the hell were we gonna do now?

WDWDWDWDWDWDWD

So sorry for the delay! I hope you're all still out there and review. I love reviews =D And please check out my ebook, called "Running" by Cara McKay. I'd really appreciate it!

LovelySpecter: Haha, I wanted Shane to get punched so bad… I felt bad for him (a bit), but he was too much of a jerk… I actually felt bad for Lori at this point, and that rarely happens lol…

Zaii: Thanks! Haha I know, I love their hot scenes =) I considered it, but I thought this worked nicely, too haha

JavaNut: He won't =P

Nelle07: Ah, me too! See, that's what I thought; feel and do, not say haha

GypsyWitchBaby: Yeah, I like that haha… I don't think he'd say it easily, but I didn't want Cat to yank it out of him either… Hope ya liked it!

Iforgiveyou: Two story updates in one day; what's up with that haha? I'm so glad you like it! I love them too, they're so cute together… Yeah, they wouldn't fight; they fight about weird things, but not this haha…

SirRenais: Thanks haha glad you liked it!

xXx Tinkies xXx: Thanks! Ah, I wanted him to but I couldn't bring myself to have him say it just yet

KillerKadoogan: Thanks! Haha so glad you enjoyed it XD

Grim1989: Haha nice! I know, I need to update that one…

Laura: Thanks! I love him too; he's awesome. So badass…

Leyshla Gisel: Thanks! I dunno, I always think I won't write them right. The M is also for language, too; you know Daryl lol. Maybe he'll say it in the next one ;D

Dalonega Noquisi: I forgot all about that! So glad you liked it; Shane is an ass, isn't he lol? Haha I thought it'd be amusing. That's a good idea; I was thinking of that for the next chapter!

Mai: Thanks! So glad you're enjoying it; he is a distance character; I couldn't have him say it yet. He's a hold out lol

Burnedmybuns: Thanks! Yeah, I couldn't see it happening; Cat's too smart to think just cuz he doesn't say it doesn't mean he doesn't actually love her.

Guest: Aw, thanks so much! I really appreciate hearing that; I work hard on all my writing and love when people like it!


	24. Fight or Flight

Author's Note: Who's excited? I'm excited. The Walking Dead comes back next month! Who's seen the trailer? It's sooo good!

A/N 2: We're coming to the end of Season One! Who's excited?! Should I make a new story or should I just continue on with this one? Please let me know.

Disclaimer: I don't own _the Walking Dead_, unfortunately. That means no Daryl Dixon/Norman Reedus for me =(

Chapter Twenty-One: Fight or Flight

_Daryl caught my eye from near the door; he wasn't making any headway and I wanted him to hold me. He dropped the axe, rubbing his damp biceps, and crossed the room, wrapping his arms around me and my brother. _

_What the hell were we gonna do now?_

Worrying my lip, I glanced from person to person, wondering what exactly we were going to do. Jenner had locked us in the CDC, preventing us from escaping – granted, the outside world was just as dangerous, but at least we wouldn't be _dead_.

"We need to get the _hell_ out of here," I breathed, my tone low so as to keep from startling the others, a hand to my chest.

Daryl met my gaze, rage and concern roiling through his bright, penetrating eyes. I wanted out? Then he would make _damn_ sure I'd get out.

Huffing, he raked a hand through his hair, dragging it over his face, before making for the door once more. Snatching up the axe, he shot Rick and Shane a murderous glance before slamming it against the door.

It scared more than a few people, but it had me straightening resolutely. Racing across the room, I surprised T-Dog and Shane by shoving Jenner hard in the shoulder. He stared down, surprise etched across his weathered face, and queried softly, "What's wrong?"

"What's _wrong_?" I repeated incredulously, my brow furrowed low over my eyes, "what the hell do you _think_ is wrong? You're trapping us in here; we're gonna _die_ if you don't let us go…"

"It'll be painless, I promise," he assured me, resting a hand on my shoulder and giving it a light squeeze. His eyes were soft, sad, with more than a hint of madness floating about. His voice was urgent, consoling, "It's quick. You won't even realize what's happening…"

"Are you insane?" Lori cried, clutching Carl to her chest, gathering Jake into her side as well as he nervously wandered over. "What about the children?"

"Do you want to raise your kids in a world like this?" Jenner retorted, his fingers digging into my skin.

Wincing, I bent at the knees, trying to dislodge his grip from my shoulder, but it didn't seem to be working. God, if Daryl saw him, he'd be on the ground with a bloody face.

"Get your hands offa her, asshole," Shane growled, latching onto my arm and dragging me back into his chest. This had Daryl spinning, but I shot him a stilling glance; he stiffened, but resumed his attack on the door, more fervently than before. Probably envisioning Jenner's face on the door…

While I would've thanked Shane for saving me from further bruising, there were more pressing matters at hand. Like, oh, the fact that Jenner was gonna incinerate us all…

"There's no raising kids at all if you _kill_ us," I assured him vehemently, sneering as I watched him unaffectedly adjust his jacket, "I'd rather keep them _alive_ than have them burn to death, you stupid bastard…"

"She's right, Jenner," Rick pleaded, running a hand over his face and resting a hand on the doctor's shoulder. His light eyes were horrified, desperate; he didn't want to die almost as much as Jenner _did_, it seemed. "You can't keep us here. We need you to give us a chance. You're going to murder us…"

Jenner's brow furrowed, confusion evident in his dark gaze, "Last night you said you knew it was just a matter of time before everyone you knew was dead…"

Lori inhaled sharply, pinning her husband with a devastated look. Well, what the hell was she expecting? Him to be all hunky-dory with the fact that zombies had taken over the US, probably the entire world?

"The guy's allowed to have a little pity party every now and then, as long as he realizes that there's more to life than sitting in a shitty, empty building and going down without a fight," I mused heatedly, yanking myself from Shane's grasp and stalking toward Jake.

He was watching me warily, disconcertedly, but latched onto my torso anyway. His tone was muffled, his eyes wet, as he muttered discontentedly, "Winfield's still out there… He's not here with us…"

"Well, we'll just grab him on the way out," I assured him, petting his head and shooting Rick an almost pleading glance. I needed him to get us out of here. He had my support; I needed his.

"Why are you still here, hmm?" Rick questioned suddenly, his arms folded across his chest, shifting from foot to foot in agitation. I knew he was about ready to blow – no pun intended, just like the rest of us, but, out of all of us, he'd be the most levelheaded. Except maybe for Dale, but he was more concerned with consoling Carol and her daughter than focusing on Jenner. "You stuck around. Didn't you think there was some hope?"

"I stayed because of my wife," Jenner retorted, jerking a finger at the blank screen, obviously referring to TS-19, "I made a promise to her, that I would stay until the very end. She was so brilliant; no one could compare to her, not intellectually, not any way… She was the brightest mind in the _world_. _She_ should be the one here, not me… I'm just Edwin Jenner… She would've known what to do…"

Daryl appeared suddenly by my side, his chest heaving. Sweat dripped from his forehead, but he was unconcerned about that; his eyes shone in the dimly lit room, sorrow and frustration evident on his face. He hadn't been able to break down the door, so unless Jenner let us out, we were doomed.

Jaw clenching, I wrapped my arms around him, burying my face into his neck; his hands drifted to my hips, squeezing me tightly to him. Pressing his lips to my temple, his tone was low, gruff, "Damn it, Kit… this ain't how we're goin' out… I told you I'd protect you…"

"You can't protect me from a giant fireball, Daryl," I laughed humorlessly, eyes drifting shut as I fought the urge to look at the clock. I'd rather not know when it was going to go down, thank you very much.

He growled, the thought of me being in danger driving him to insanity; pulling away from me, he stared down at me, hard and heavy, his tone vehement and loud, "Like hell I can't… Ain't no way in hell I'm gonna let that asshole-," he gestured toward Jenner, who was eyeing us in mild surprise, "murder you; not without a fight, god damnit! I love you, Kit."

My heart pounded unevenly against my chest, my eyes widening in surprise; toes curling, I grabbed his face and dragged him down to my level, planting a hot, open-mouthed kiss to his lips. He said it. He actually said it. I mean, we were going to _die_ and it was probably in the heat of the moment, but he'd said it to me before our lungs caught on fire.

Daryl backed me into one of the computer stations, his mouth moving quickly, passionately against mine. Good Lord, if this was our last moment, I wanted to savor it. But there were more important things at hand, like a twelve-year-old who was about to burst into flames… we could handle it far better than he could…

Untangling myself from his grasp, I turned to Jake, gathering him in my arms once more, "We're gonna be okay, bud…"

Lies.

Riley and Danny approached the three of us, glancing almost cautiously at Daryl. He simply regarded them silently, one hand on my waist, the other digging into his own hip. They were clinging to each other, but they managed to worm their way into our group hug.

My post-apocalyptic family. We'd go down together.

"This is for the best," Jenner mused softly, sadly, glancing between Daryl and I with what I could only assume was an apologetic frown.

I had to latch onto Daryl's wrist to keep him from lunging at the doctor. I wanted him with me, not pounding the tar out of a tragically demented man.

"We're just asking for a chance," Lori begged softly, "we want to try. It's all we can do. Please don't do this to us…"

Blinking rapidly, wondering if my mind was deceiving me, I watched as Jenner finally cracked. His expression melted into one of defeat, glancing away from the wide-eyed brunette and focusing on his work station. Without a word, he pressed a button, the heavy, steel door lifting almost immediately.

We stared at it for half a second, wondering if we were really free to go, before more than half of us scrambled toward it. Shoving Jake before me, I grabbed onto Riley's arm, forcing her and Danny to race ahead of me, muttering quickly, terrified, "Go, go, go… C'mon, we have to get out of here…"

Daryl was at my back, his shoulder nearly blocking out the clock, but I managed to catch a glimpse. Five minutes.

Five _fucking _minutes to escape…

Did we have time for a pit stop for the raccoon? Nostrils flaring, I grimaced at the thought of the poor little baby going up in flames; I _had_ dragged him along, after all, hadn't I?

Would I risk my neck for an animal?

Oh, God damn, yes I would…

Breaking away from the near stampede, ignoring Daryl's furious calls, I darted down the long hallway of rooms. I made a quick stop at the room I had shared with Daryl, slinging my backpack over my shoulder and hoisting his up over it. That done, I lunged toward the room where the kids had spent the night, hoping the raccoon hadn't managed to escape while we were gone.

Panting, I tried to keep track of how long it had been since the five-minute mark. From what I could tell, there were about three minutes left. Hoping that I wouldn't piss myself, terror raging through me, I dove toward the kids' fort. It took me a moment to find Winfield, but I quickly spotted him on a soft-looking pillow.

Mouth dry and heart in my throat, I gathered up the sleeping animal from his blankets. He squeaked in protest, claws swiping, but I ignored it, hastily grabbing what belongings they'd left and made a mad dash for the exit.

I nearly slammed into Daryl's chest, his massive frame engulfing the threshold, the two of us staring at each other in surprise. Growling, he narrowed his eyes at the frantic raccoon in my arms and grabbed my elbow in a painful hold, "Crazy bitch…"

"Shut up," I hissed, nearly stumbling over my own feet as we raced for the front entrance, "how much time do we have left?"

An explosion rocked the lobby, causing Daryl and I to duck, his solid, steady body curled around mine as we hit the floor. Panicking, I wondered if the air was now ablaze, but a quick glance told me that it was just a small explosion.

Wide-eyed and frantic, I scrambled to my feet – after Daryl removed himself from me – and shrieked, "What the hell was that?"

"Go! Go! Go!" Rick was waving us out, eyes wild and fearful, from beside a massive opening in the thick glass wall. Everyone scrambled out, racing across the lawn and taking out what few walkers ambled toward the noise.

I didn't need telling twice; grabbing Daryl's hand, I raced for the opening, nearly tripping under the weight of his backpack. Without a word, he wrenched it from me, ushering me through the hole, and slung it over his back, crossbow in hand. Rick was at our backs, his panting overpowering ours.

Daryl took out a few walkers as we darted across the lawn, the bolts penetrating their eyes, their hearts… Even on the brink of death, my hunter was a killing machine.

"Get down!" Rick bellowed; obviously he'd been keeping track of the time. Diving over the low-standing fence around the property, I covered my head, the raccoon burrowing into my shirt. Daryl slung his body over mine, his face in the back of my neck, as he pressed me into the ground.

The explosion was deafening. Curling into myself at the noise, my ears rung, every sound following muted and hazy. Panting heavily, I waited for death, only to find after a few moments that everything was alright. I wasn't on fire. I wasn't dying. I couldn't hear worth shit, but I was alive.

It took a while for Daryl to heave himself off of me; I missed his protective weight, despite the fact that he was wedging me into the ground. He didn't raise himself completely; his arms braced on either side of my head, his lips hovered just above mine, "You stupid, crazy, psycho bitch…"

"I thought you loved me?" I breathed, head thrown back against the dying grass, a slightly hysterical smile playing across my face.

"You almost got yerself – an' me – killed for a fucking raccoon," he growled, nostrils flaring as his eyes darkened a shade or two. Chills ran through me, pleasant ones, as his eyes drifted across my face, checking for any serious injuries.

"I thought," I repeated slowly, a hand straying up to brush his dampened bangs away from his face, "you loved me?"

"I do," he replied, his tone more irritation than anything. Slamming his lips against mine, we only had a breathless moment to ourselves before Rick was hauling Daryl to his feet. Though the hunter scowled viciously at him, he seemed more concerned than anything.

"You okay?" he questioned, offering me a hand and easing me to my feet, "either of you hurt?"

Shaking my head, I raised Winfield in one hand, offering him a sheepish smile, "Nope; we're all okay… Did everyone get out?"

"No," he frowned, glancing back at the blazing building, thick, black smoke billowing from the windows, "Jacqui didn't. She stayed behind…"

"Shit," I breathed, frowning and raking a hand over my face, my eyes welling up with frustrated tears. We had a chance to get out – granted it was barely enough – but she elected to remain. To die.

"C'mon, we have to go," Rick stated softly, glancing at Daryl questioningly. He simply nodded stiffly, a hand on my shoulder as he guided me toward his truck. Before I could climb inside, Jake nearly tackled me to the ground, sobbing.

Patting his head, I glanced down at him, perplexed, "We made it out, bud… I even got Winfield…"

"_Don't_ do that!" he cried, burrowing his face into my shoulder, his hot tears splashing against my skin, "I thought you were dead! Next time forget about the raccoon!"

Laughing, I rolled my eyes upward, pressing a kiss to his forehead, "Alright, I promise… It's alright; we made it out, all o-," swallowing my tears, I forewent 'all of us', "we're okay…"

"You really think I woulda let your sister die, kid?" Daryl questioned suddenly, gruffly, his arm resting on the roof of his truck. Glancing at me, a wonderfully smoldering gaze blazing through his eyes, he smirked slightly, "I won't let that happen. I won't let it happen to you, either, kid… She'd kick my ass…"

Laughing shakily, Jake withdrew himself from my hold and approached the hunter. Daryl straightened, regarding the young boy coolly; when Jake outstretched his hand, a perfect eyebrow curled upward in surprise. Still, Daryl took his hand, shaking it firmly, before patting his head, "Get back to the RV. We need ta leave…"

Breathlessly, I watched Jake return to the RV, albeit reluctantly, with Winfield in hand. Smiling softly at Daryl from across the roof of his truck, I mouthed a soft 'thank you'. He simply nodded, gesturing for me to get inside before the remaining walkers hastened toward us – some were ablaze, albeit it unaware of the fact.

Once inside, I leaned back against the cracked leather seat; never had I been more relieved to be breathing in the muggy, Georgia air. Eyes shut, I caught Daryl's hand over the console and gave it a soft squeeze.

He repeated the action, a little harder than he probably intended to, but I appreciated it all the same. He didn't speak as he started the engine, a rough, obnoxious sound but unsurprising for the rusty old vehicle. Without a word, we followed the rest of the convoy, driving away from the acrid smell of smoke, away from Jacqui and Jenner and certain death.

Now we would face uncertain death, but at least we had a fighting chance.

~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~

When I awoke, the sky was black, only the headlights of our vehicles guiding our way along the semi-crowded highway. We were going at a much slower pace, if only to keep from crashing into overturned cars or walkers.

"We should just pull over," I muttered, my voice rough from sleep, "we can crash in the cars if we have to…"

"Isn't that what you were doin'?" Daryl questioned, his eyes meeting mine through the darkness, one hand on the steering wheel and the other hanging out of the window.

"Well, we _all_ need to rest," I muttered, stretching and sighing, working the aches out of my muscles, "it's been a shitty day and I just want to die. Well, not die, but curl up and fall asleep in a nice warm bed would be amazing…"

"Yer ramblin', Kit," Daryl noted amusedly, his tone low despite the fact that there was no one else in the vehicle, "anyway, I think we're tryin' ta find someplace to stay, at least for the night… Sleepin' in the car's all well an' good 'til walkers come outta nowhere and surround you…"

"Are there any hotels on this road or anything?" I questioned, straightening myself and peering out into the darkness. Forests lined the highway on either side, but I was certain that, maybe at the next exit, we'd be able to find somewhere to stay. Maybe it'd be filled with walkers, but at least we'd have a base for the evening.

"'t's what we're lookin' for," he replied, shaking his head and growling, "wanna take over drivin'?"

It wasn't like Daryl to admit defeat, but he'd been up a helluva lot longer than I had; it'd be nice for him to stretch out in the passenger's seat and let me pick up where he left off. Nodding silently, I watched as the RV ahead of us slowed down after Daryl hit the horn softly. Pulling the car to a halt, we climbed out, my back popping and cracking as I raised my arms overhead.

"What's up?"

"Nothin'; we're just swappin' places," I replied, offering Rick a small smile, waving off his concern as he strolled toward us, "what's the plan? Are we heading for a hotel or something? Maybe a campground?"

"Hotel sounds good," he replied, rubbing his scruffy jaw in thought, "wasn't really thinkin' too much, in terms of findin' a place…" No, he'd been thinking about Jacqui staying behind; it had plagued my dreams, what I could remember of them.

"Let's find somewhere small," I suggested, leaning against the hood as Daryl quickly scanned the surrounding area. If walkers were around, he'd be the first to know; who cares if his crossbow was still in the truck? I wondered how many he could take down with his bare hands… "That way it'll be a quick sweep… maybe we'll find something to eat, too… vending machines and whatnot…"

"Maybe a Super 8 or something," Rick nodded, only to be shot down by me, "I'd rather not stay at one of those… _bad_ experiences…"

Not only had I had a crappy night once when I was a kid – there was blood on the walls the next morning and that was pre-walker invasion – but it was the hotel my family and I had stayed at when we were attacked. Nope, I'd much rather go somewhere with less memories, thank you very much.

"Okay," he replied, hands raised in appeasement, "we'll find somethin' else… You guys ready to get back on the road?"

Daryl merely nodded, though I took a moment to question the sheriff on my brother, Riley, and Danny. The last two were travelling with Glenn and T-Dog, while Jake had taken to the RV to spend some time with Carl and Sophia. Being asleep for a few hours, I wanted to know how they were doing, especially after nearly being killed and losing Jacqui.

"They're alright," he replied, running a finger under his nose and following Daryl's gaze into the forest, "they'll be better once we actually settle somewhere for the night."

Nodding, I thanked him with a one-armed hug, before trudging over to the driver's side of the rusty pick-up. Daryl climbed in beside me, glowering at Rick's back; he didn't have to explain why he was irritated with the sheriff. I already knew. He just hated me giving affection to any other guy, unless it was Danny or my brother. Even with Danny he was a little perturbed, but he knew that I couldn't be swayed by the younger man. The others, though, he didn't trust as far as he could throw 'em. Though, thinking about it, I supposed he could throw them pretty far if he wanted.

"Settle down, Daryl," I laughed, starting the truck back up and adjusting my seat, "I'm not gonna jump him…"

"Can't say the same for him," was all he stated, leaning his seat back and closing his eyes, "we run into any kinda trouble, you wake me up. I may get tired o' savin' yer ass, but that don't mean I won't do it…"

"You haven't saved my ass _that_ many times," I replied huffily, teasingly, poking his stomach and earning a sharp scowl, "but thank you. For earlier. Ya know; for coming back for me."

He waved it off, draping an arm over his eyes and effectively ending the conversation. With a silent smirk, I followed after the RV. It took a mere five minutes for him to fall asleep, his soft snores filling up the silence.

To keep myself awake, I went through song after song in my head, an extensive playlist residing in there. Sometimes I caught myself humming, usually when Daryl grunted in his sleep; it was all I could do to keep from laughing and belting out Five Finger Death Punch or Muse just to irk him some more.

I can't tell you how long we'd been traveling for, but it was nearing dawn when we found a suitable rest area. It was a small town, closer to Atlanta than we would have liked, but walkers were few and far between.

The hotel itself was more of a bed and breakfast; just an old 1800s mansion of some sort that would be small enough to sweep quickly through but large enough to fit us all. Pulling into the yard, we all parked around the back of the old brick building; if we needed to make a getaway, it was best to have the vehicles at a close distance.

Waking up Daryl was an interesting feat. He swatted at me, grumbling under his breath as I poked and prodded him, but he only made contact once. When he backhanded me across the face – purely accidental, of course, he wasn't looking – I pounced on him, practically straddling him as I slapped him across the face. It was just to wake him up… mhmm…

He apologized sleepily, his light eyes hazy, one hand on my hip, the other rubbing his cheek. He peered at the ever lightening sky, shifting his touch to my reddened face, and inquired gruffly, "What time is it?"

"I don't know," I replied, allowing his rough, calloused fingers to stroke my sore face, "do you always try and punch people when you wake up?"

"Well hell, I'm not used to it," he grumbled, his fingers creeping up beneath my tank top, warm and rough, "thought maybe it was a walker or somethin'..."

"A walker poking you and calling your name?"

"Damn it, Kit, I dunno," he growled, his hand shifting up my spine, tracing each bump and sending a trail of pleasant chills through me, "Merle used ta play all kindsa tricks on me when we were kids… Don't trust anyone when I'm not awake…"

"Well you better learn to trust me," I replied, dropping a kiss onto the corner of his mouth, "I don't want any more bruises…"

He stiffened beneath me, his hands stilling on their ascent toward the back of my neck. Pulling away from him, I regarded him curiously; his jaw clenched furiously, his eyes blazing with a startling intensity. He wasn't staring at me, though; his eyes were trained on my face, where he'd hit me.

Brushing his fingers against it, his nostrils flared and he frowned deeply, his tone surprisingly vehement, "I don't hit women, Kit…"

"I know," I replied, quirking a brow and regarding him confusedly, my eyelids heavy with exhaustion, "I was just saying…"

"I ain't like that," he stated heatedly, glaring off at the RV, where I assumed everyone else was piling out, "saw too much o' that shit at home… Dad was a fuckin' drunk, liked ta use my ma as a punching bag…"

"Well, you and I both know it was an accident, soooo… no big deal," I replied, offering him a crooked, awkward smile and stroking his lower lip with a thumb, "I don't think you'd want to keep saving my ass if you were like that…"

"Good," he muttered, catching my thumb between his teeth and biting down softly, his tongue brushing along the pad, "wish this thing had darker windows…"

Stomach clenching, a soft grin stretched across my face, my cheeks flushing slightly, "Well, they aren't and they're gonna come looking for us." Reluctantly, I flung my leg off of him, sliding back into my seat and shoving the door open.

He groaned, unamused with my disruption, before raking a hand through his hair and shoving his own door open. Staring up at the B&B, he drew his lips to one side, relatively unimpressed, "Doubt this place has vending machines…"

"Damn," I muttered, chuckling and retrieving my backpack from the back seat. Slinging it over my shoulder, I strolled around the hood of the truck and leaned into his side. He slipped a hand into my back pocket, still surveying the area. There was a patch of woods nearly a hundred yards away and relatively few buildings on either side.

Hopefully it would be a nice enough place to stay, at least for the day.

Trudging toward the porch, an enclosed area with a few rocking chairs – most were upturned – I offered Dale a soft smile as he held the door open for us, "What do you think?"

"I think we all need to sleep and this is as good a place as any to rest," he replied, patting my shoulder and offering Daryl a warm smile, "Rick mentioned something about scouting around for a grocery store or a convenience store… Do you think you're up for it, Daryl?"

He shrugged, releasing a noncommittal hum; I knew that was a yes and nodded to tell the older man as much. He repeated the action, his smile growing as Carol beckoned him from within.

Daryl grimaced in disgust, but remained silent, offering me a pointed frown. Chuckling, I made my way into the building, immediately admiring the chandelier overhead. It wasn't lit, but I imagined it was a beautiful thing when it was. There were oriental rugs adorning the floors, along with numerous paintings on the walls. The floors were hardwood, matching the walls, and a reception desk stood off to the side, the only unoriginal artifact in the place. A body lay behind it, but I assumed that, if it was a walker, someone had already taken care of it.

T-Dog jogged down the steps on the far wall, a broad grin on his face as he rested his shotgun over his shoulder. In a rather sing-song voice, he exclaimed, "All clear! We're good, at least for the night…"

Sighing in relief, I grinned, thanked him, and raced up the steps as fast as my exhausted legs could carry me.

~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~

So, I don't know if I like this chapter, but I'm so glad to be getting into season two… I can't wait to get into it. Next chappy for sure! So, I'd love it if everyone could check out my e-books on Amazon! They're cheap and pretty good, if I do say so myself! Oh, and I'm sending one of my manuscripts to my brother's girlfriend's mom – she's a published author and she's gonna give it to her agent! This could be it!

Lovely Specter: Yeah, me too! He's getting crazy and she's just a bitch all the way around haha! I know, it had me so antsy! I hope you like this chapter though :D

Leyshla Gisel: Haha yes! Ew I know, it's gross. But I wanted her to have someone and I always thought she'd look cute with Dale… Yeah, he's not a jerk like that; I mean, he doesn't like it, but he likes Kit more

ThunderSpeak: Thanks! I know, what a jerk! So glad you're liking it!

IForgiveYou: Thanks! I know, it's been forever =/ haha thank ya! I hope you like this chapter; I don't like it too much but season two will get amazing!

GatorGirl99: Thanks! I'm so glad you think so; I was hoping Kit would fit in well enough. Oh man, me too! I'd like to play her haha ;D

Dragoness0420: Yes! I'm glad you caught up and that you love it! It's one of my faves that I've written. And yeah, you're right; I thought this would be a great time to put it in there! Speaking of, I don't know if you know of the band Godsmack, but their lead singer, Sully Erna, has a song called 'My Light'. The band is completely badass and so is he, but this song is about his daughter; it's so sweet!

Dalonega Noquisi: Thanks! Haha I feel like this one was a bit of a letdown, but I wanted to get it out. Hehe I love that line… Yeah, they're pretty active hahhaha

xXx Tinkies xXx: Thanks! Aww I'm glad you thought so! I wanted to make it cute but hot too lol; I suck at writing those kinds of things. So glad you're enjoying everything though!

JadeObsessions: I know right! Thanks though!

Zaii: haha yes, I thought they would be cute/gross. Glad you thought so! Haha so glad you're liking it =D I know, stupid CDC

JellyBear7: Thanks!

Sdwafford: So glad! Haha yes, it seemed like a pretty Daryl move… I'm glad you think so; I appreciate it!


	25. No Rest For The Weary

Hello! Sorry for the confusion about my last author's note: what I meant to say was that I would create a new link on here for the second chapter. I'm totally sticking with Kit/Daryl – I've written too much of it to give it up now. But yeah, I meant like a different title, almost like a sequel. I guess it doesn't matter much; it'll probably be easier to keep it all on the same link.

Also, bet you're all surprised for the quick update! I just couldn't help myself!

Disclaimer: I don't own _the Walking Dead_. Booo! I want Daryl all to myself hehe

Chapter Twenty-Two: No Rest for the Weary

_T-Dog jogged down the steps on the far wall, a broad grin on his face as he rested his shotgun over his shoulder. In a rather sing-song voice, he exclaimed, "All clear! We're good, at least for the night…"_

_Sighing in relief, I grinned, thanked him, and raced up the steps as fast as my exhausted legs could carry me. _

Though I'd gotten a good ten hours of sleep, Daryl curled around me for more than half of it, it was soon time to wake up and face reality. Were we going to go back out, face the world, or would we hole up in the bed and breakfast until we had no other choice?

Inhaling sharply, I glanced out of the thin, tall window, the curtains billowing gently as twilight approached. At least, I assumed it was twilight; I wasn't used to sleeping so long, or going to bed at dawn. My whole schedule would be out of whack – snorting, I rolled my eyes. It'd been out of whack since all of this shit had started; only once we were in the CDC did it seem to go normally.

Daryl was on his stomach, his head resting on my chest, soft snores escaping him every now and again. Smiling softly, I stroked his hair, long, slow movements that had him stirring slightly. I wasn't certain how long he'd been out the night before – at some point he'd come in, but he was already on his back, my body tucked against his chest when I'd come to.

A soft knock sounded at the door, Carol muttering quietly, "Cat? Are you awake?"

Humming, I quirked a brow as she slowly opened the door, tentatively turning her gaze toward the bed when I didn't flip. A strange, soft smile crossed her face as she regarded Daryl's sleeping form – it was surprisingly cute, though he'd kick our asses for saying anything. When she returned her attention to me, she simply smiled and noted, "We scrounged up some food for breakfast. It'll be ready when you come down, if you want."

Nodding, I offered her a quiet 'thank you', glancing down at Daryl when Carol disappeared from sight. Pressing my lips to his head, I inquired in a near whisper, "You awake?"

"Wish I wasn't," he replied, his tone delightfully coarse, rough, shifting slightly and pressing his lips to my chest, just above my breast. A thrill ran through me, a warm flush rising through my body, even as his lips shifted up along my collar to my jaw. "Didn't get in 'til a few hours ago…"

"Well why don't you try and get a little more sleep?" I questioned, massaging the nape of his neck and earning a low moan from the hunter; clearly he wasn't thinking about sleep anymore. Still, I swallowed thickly and steeled myself – taking one for the team had never been harder. "You need to get some sleep, babe. You're no good to anyone half awake…"

"I'm awake," he assured me, rubbing himself along the length of my thigh. It was my turn to groan, eyes screwed shut as I further tried to steel my resolve. He was making it increasingly difficult, his arousal more than evident and his tongue seeking mine.

Humming distractedly, I worked my way into his hair, giving into his warm, talented mouth for a moment. His hands drifted up my sides, stroking my ribs, my hips. After a moment, I used the fingers burrowed into his hair to gently pry him away from me.

He growled, low and heated, my body tensing in excitement, "What the hell? C'mon, Kit, screw everyone else; I got a bed, no walkers, and you… Don't need much more than that…"

Shaking my head, I offered him a meaningful glance, "Please? We need a plan; I'm sure Rick's got one already. So just… lay down and relax… I'll be back in a little, bring you something to eat…"

"Outta that list," he noted, a brow twitching upward as he watched me, his eyes smoldering, penetrating, climb out of bed, "I'd rather have you the most."

"More than no walkers?" I teased, though my face flushed and a shy smile stretched across my face. With those words and him sprawled out on his back, his shirt long abandoned on the floor, he was making it incredibly difficult to walk away.

"Hell, I can adjust ta that shit," he replied, a slow, steady smirk crossing his face; bastard – he knew how difficult he was making this for me. He folded one arm behind his head, muscles taut, and the other draped over his bare chest.

Could I be that arm please?

"Don't like it," he continued, lifting a shoulder and grinning somberly, "but I can deal with it. But yeah, I like you th' best…"

Blinking rapidly, I inhaled quickly and shook my head, "You can't sway me, Daryl… not unless you're completely naked…"

He let out a huffing laugh, his hand drifting down to his dirty jeans; if I wanted to hold to my plan, I had to leave. With a tiny moan, I spun on a heel and darted out of the room, running smack-dab into Andrea.

She offered me a blank look, her blue eyes saddened, before continuing wordlessly down the hallway. I knew what had happened; on one of the pit stops, Shane had sought me out – he was doing that a lot lately; I didn't know if I liked it – and told me what had gone on after I'd flown out of the CDC like a bat out of hell. Andrea tried to stay. She wanted to die; she wanted to be with Amy.

Dale had stopped her, though; he stayed with her, guilting her into leaving the building with the rest of us. She didn't want Dale to die for her, though I doubted it would matter much once they were both dead. She couldn't feel guilty when she couldn't _feel_ anymore, right?

It had me thinking that, despite the low she'd hit, she didn't _really_ want to die. Why would she leave? She shouldn't have _cared_ that Dale would stay with her; her desire to die would have overridden everything, at least, that's what I thought.

Still, she looked rough. Jogging to catch up with her, I fell in step beside her and queried, "Hungry?"

She jerked, startled, and glanced curiously, almost confusedly, at me, "What?"

"Are you hungry?" I repeated calmly, offering her a pleasant smile, "I'm going to see if Carol was lying to me… She said they found some food and I don't want the guys to scarf it all down before I can get any…"

"I'm… no, I'm not really hungry," she replied, an awkward, grimacing smile crossing her face for a fleeting moment, "I'm just… I'm gonna go outside or something…"

"When's the last time you ate?" I queried, knowing full well that she had to be just as famished as the rest of us. It was breakfast at Jenner's table; I, for one, was starving, so I knew that she was in the same boat as me. "C'mon; I'll get T-Dog to force-feed you something if I have to…"

"Why does everyone _fucking care_ so much about what I do?" she snapped suddenly, turning her vehement gaze on me, her fists clenched at her sides. A sneer tugged at her mouth, her eyes wild, and I thought for a moment that maybe she'd gone off the deep end. "If I want to stay behind and _die_, that's my prerogative… If I don't want to eat, I don't _want to eat_. You can't make me do shit, Cat, so just back the fuck off…"

Wide-eyed and speechless, I watched her stalk off and power down the steps. Shaking my head, I drew my lips to one side, regretting not having taken more psychology classes in college; maybe I could talk some sense into her. Then again, she didn't want me to talk sense into her, I guess.

"She's not doin' too good."

Shane.

Yippie.

"No, doesn't seem that way," I replied, watching him stride toward me from the bathroom, his hair wet and a towel slung around his shoulders. He was missing his shirt, exposing a rather nice set of abs, but I returned my attention to his face quickly. It must not have been fast enough, because he had a broad grin on his face, a modestly sheepish glint in his eyes.

Probably looking for Lori. Did he think I was going to approach her and giggle about his body? I know Daryl's wasn't quite as ripped, but I preferred it, light hair and scars and all.

"You're missing your shirt," I noted dryly, turning and continuing on with my trek. Was it just my imagination or did I smell bacon? It had been so long since I'd actually had bacon; my mouth began watering, the thought of cooked meat absolutely intoxicating.

"Yeah, well, I just took a shower," he replied with a slight shrug, running his hand along his chest. Huh, both he and Daryl had tattoos over their hearts. Wouldn't they shit themselves if they knew? "It wasn't hot or anythin', just runnin' water, but hell, at least it's somethin'… Someone musta came in and took my shirt… decided to clean it or somethin'… You doin' okay? After yesterday?"

"Is it sad that I'm pretty used to almost dying?" I queried, quirking a brow as he chuckled, dipping his head and scratching at his hair, "I got over it. I just hate the fact that Jacqui gave up… her and Jenner… I know it's easier, but I just… it's so cowardly… I want to get through this; even if there is no cure, I don't want to lay down and give up… Doing this, going through this, it's just gonna make us stronger. And I want to show Jake that. That we can be strong and survive…"

Shane was silent – when I turned to glance at him, I could only offer him a grimacing smile – I didn't appreciate the look I was receiving. There were too many things about Shane that made me nervous. He didn't seem wrapped too tightly, the longer we went on. I mean, Lori was terrified of him and he had scratches – her scratches – on his skin and I highly doubted it was from amorous activities.

When Rick reappeared, she had gone cold turkey on Shane. I don't think he quite accepted that.

But hell if I'd let him turn that attention on me. If the strange gleam in his eyes told me anything, it was that I may have to watch my back if I didn't want to get dragged down a hall and assaulted.

"So what did you guys find last night? You and Daryl and Rick?"

He scowled slightly, though I don't know if it was the mention of Rick or Daryl that got him so frustrated – probably both. Instead of explaining that weird little tic in his jaw, he replied lightly, "Not much. Got some food; soup and stuff in cans. It's not much and prob'ly don't taste too good, but it'll tide us over, at least for today."

"Did anyone come up with a plan?" I questioned, making my way toward the steps. Still, he followed, even if he wasn't properly dressed. Damn, I thought I could get rid of him; he was unconcerned though, unaware of my lack of interest in really continuing on with the conversation.

"Far as I know, we're still goin' ta Fort Benning," he replied, raking a hand through his dampened hair, his frown deepening, "it's a shitty idea, if you ask me…"

"Why?" I questioned, a brow twitching upward in confusion, in disbelief, "if we're going to find any help, it'll be there…"

"That's what we said about the CDC," he scoffed, shaking his head and eying me exasperatedly, "c'mon, Kit –," my face screwed up at the nickname; that was reserved for Daryl, didn't he know that?, "we thought that would be our best shot. They would have some kinda miracle cure…"

The disgust and contempt in his voice had me edging cautiously away from him, hoping to God he didn't notice. He didn't seem to, glancing at the wall, his gaze murderous.

"It's not gonna happen," he continued, hissing through his teeth and stopping at the threshold of the steps, "we're fucked. This isn't gonna work. We're not gonna find a cure, we're not gonna find help…"

Had he ignored my speech about Jacqui and giving up? We _could not _stop looking for a cure, for help. We needed to survive this world; we weren't going to be able to do it on our own. Maybe he wanted to follow in Jenner's footsteps if he couldn't have Lori…

"You suck," I replied, shaking my head and jogging down the steps, hoping he'd get the picture and remain where he was. When I hit the bottom of the stairs, I glanced impassively back up at him, noting bluntly, "You should put a shirt on. This isn't _Twilight_."

Turning from him, I headed through the lobby, grateful that no one had encountered our little head-to-head, toward what I assumed to be a dining room. There was plenty of noise coming from the room and it didn't sound like grunting and moaning.

Good, good.

It was a lovely scene, if not a little out of place considering our current situation. Rick and his family were around a large, welcoming table, the chandelier overhead lit, probably by a generator in the back in case of power outages. They were joined by Dale, Carol, Sophia, Jake, Riley, Danny, and Glenn. I could hear T-Dog puttering about the kitchen, probably whipping up something to eat. Deciding to join him after greeting my brother and the other kids, I wandered into the kitchen and see what was up.

He was busy, hunkered over the stove, though there wasn't any bacon. Must've just been my imagination, then. One of the more disappointing things I'd had to deal with in this new life.

"Hey, T-Dog," I grinned softly, approaching the counter and leaning against it. It took me a moment to realize he'd been crying; without a word, I approached him and wrapped the much larger man in a hug. He latched onto me, his face buried in my neck, and silently sobbed.

I knew how close he had been to Jacqui and cursed myself for not thinking about him earlier. Patting his back, I assured him everything would be alright, despite the fact that it certainly wouldn't be. Whatever comfort I could think of drifted from my mouth, my hand rubbing soft circles on his back.

It was strange to see a man so strong reduced to tears, but it honestly didn't surprise me. This new world forced people to change, to admit their weaknesses (though I doubted Daryl would quite so easily); people died, people close to you, people you loved.

After a moment, he withdrew himself from my arms, wiping his dripping nose and eyes with the back of his hand. Offering me a sheepish smile, he gave a watery laugh and bit his lip, eyes downcast in embarrassment, "I'm sorry, Cat… I just… she didn't want to come…"

"I know," I replied, my tone soft, sorrowful, "I'm sorry. It's awful…" I prayed to God he didn't hear my little rant upstairs, "Just, we have to push through it… She knew you were strong enough to survive, you have to do it for her…"

He nodded slowly, distractedly, before sniffling and returning to his cooking. Silently, I followed suite, shaking a bottle of juice and divvying it out in glasses. Tentatively, he began making small talk, mostly asking about myself and Daryl. He must've been desperate to forget about his little episode if he wanted to ask about _that_.

We made a half-assed breakfast – powdered eggs again and some canned fruit. I was all for the fruit; I'd rather have fresh eggs, though, if I had my choice.

When we returned to the dining room, I caught sight of Daryl stalking into the room, cradling right fist in the other hand. He had a stormy glower in his normally lovely eyes and I found myself blanching. Oh hell, how much of my conversation with Shane did he _see_? Hearing it wasn't bad enough, but I'm sure he'd seen the mild leer on the sheriff's deputy's face…

Jerking my head toward the living room, he nodded once, short and sharp, and stalked back out. Rick, brows high on his forehead, he glanced between the hunter's retreating back and me, a silent question plastered across his face.

Shrugging, I rolled my eyes in exasperation and continued on after Daryl. He was pacing through the lobby, rubbing his jaw absently; when I appeared, he stilled, pinning me with a furious glare, "Th' hell'd he say to you?"

"Who, Shane?" I queried, feigning ignorance; he simply snarled and I pursed my lips, "just being weird. He doesn't think we'll be able to make it to Fort Benning or anything."

"What _else_ did he say?" he growled, stalking toward me, ever the predator, nearly backing me into a wall with his presence alone, "I didn't like how he was lookin' at you, Kit…"

"It was nothing," I assured him casually, hoping that he hadn't heard the deputy use the nickname he'd given me, "I'm sure he's just being Shane. He was always like that, back at camp and everything… You don't like him anyway; you sure you're not just lookin' for a reason to pick a fight?"

He shook his head adamantly, flexing his now bruised fist, "Hell no… I don't want you bein' around him alone, you hear me? He's an asshole an' I don't trust him…"

"You don't trust anyone," I deflected, my feathers ruffling as he became increasingly overprotective, "that doesn't mean you should just punch Shane in the face, no matter how much he deserves it…"

"No…," he replied heatedly, his hands drifting to my hips, his face dipping to mere inches above mine, "I don't mind Grimes, I guess; he's less of an asshole than Walsh. He won't try nothin' with you; I don't know 'bout the other…"

"How hard d'you hit him?" I questioned, if only to distract him.

It worked, my pulse spiking at his response.

His eyes glinted dangerously, a slow, predatory smirk stretching across his face as he dusted his lips against mine. His tone was low, delightfully husky, with more than a hint of arrogance laced through there, "Broke his nose."

Was it sad that that turned me on a little?

"Guys?!"

Before I could deepen the kiss, I jerked away from him, unnerved by the low, anxious concern in Glenn's voice. Apparently, so was Daryl.

We glanced back into the dining room, our bodies pressed against either side of the threshold, and watched, aghast, as a walker, bloodied and gray, bumped itself against the glass window. I could only see its face, its eyes startlingly white and empty, its low, guttural groans drawing the attention of several others milling about in the yard.

Rick and Carl, the closest to the windows, hurried around to the other side, even as everyone leapt from the table. Backing toward where we were, the group exchanged silent, furtive glances; they knew we were there.

Without a word, Rick ushered us from the dining room – not before Daryl snagged a can of oranges from the table – and informed us hurriedly, disconcertedly, "Go upstairs, get what you have, if you brought anything. We need to get out of here and get back on the road…"

A quick mental check had me shaking my head; I had left my bag up there, but other than that, there were no dirty clothes or anything to gather up. Glancing quickly at Daryl, I nodded toward the staircase; he simply returned the gesture, grabbing his crossbow from just inside the door where he'd left it the night before.

Looking hastily at Jake, I quirked a brow and caught his shoulder in a warm, comforting way, my tone just above a whisper, "Did you leave anything upstairs?"

He shook his head mutely, his eyes momentarily panicked; he had Winfield under one arm already, the previous day's events obviously teaching him to be on his toes. Pecking his forehead, I smiled, "I'll be right back. Just stick with Daryl and the others…"

Nodding jerkily, he took a step toward the hunter, who casually shoved him behind his larger body, away from the door.

My heart clenching, I dashed up the steps, nearly plowing into Shane on the way. He offered me a perplexed frown, nursing yet another new bruise from my hunter. Breathlessly, I called back to him, dashing past him as Glenn and Carol followed my lead, "Walkers. Gotta go…"

"Of course," he growled, spinning on a heel and following me upstairs, branching off toward his own room.

Ducking into my room, I repeated the annoyingly familiar action of gathering my backpack and Daryl's, slinging them both over my shoulders. Pausing only momentarily at the window, I blanched, eyeing the approaching walkers with trepidation. There were more than a few, their awkward gaits hurried, their wounds grotesque.

Skipping through the threshold, I hurried back downstairs, tossing Daryl his bag. He caught it without ever turning his attention to me, slinging it over one shoulder.

"Cat, I wanna ride with you," Jake pleaded, grasping my hand with wide, emerald eyes, "please? I never do; I always get scared when I'm not with you…"

Glancing hastily at Daryl, he simply informed me gruffly to take the kid and get in the truck; he'd get in the back and then take the bike when we were in the clear. Nodding, I grabbed my own crossbow, tucking my S&W in my waistband.

"Just stay behind me, Jake," I informed him, ruffling his hair and throwing a breezy grin across my face, "it'll be alright, I promise."

He nodded, peering at Carl and Sophia, both of whom hid nervously behind their parents. It was almost as though we'd formed a protective circle around the younger ones, a familiar action that brought at least Andrea back to the night we'd been attacked.

Her hands trembling, she clutched the pistol she'd been given and eyed the door warily.

Once everyone had returned, belongings in hand, Rick whispered authoritatively, "Alright, the cars are close enough to the back that we should all be able to get inside without too much trouble. T-Dog, you an' me will bring up the front, make sure the kids can get inside without gettin' hit… Daryl, Shane, can you bring up the rear? Dale, Cat, Glenn; I want you three to be ready; stick to the edges of the group…" He glanced hastily at Andrea, who still looked terrified, "You, too."

With a resolute nod, he gestured for us to follow him. The shattering of one of the glasses in the dining room windows sounded, startling us; they would be inside soon. Good, let 'em burn.

Actually…

Catching Daryl's arm before he could drift toward the back of the group, I reached into his vest pocket, grabbing the lighter. He gave me a curious glance, a partial frown painted across his face, before I grinned, "Got an ideaaaa…"

"Just don't get yerself killed, Kit," he shook his head, resigned to the fact that I would do whatever I needed to, whether he liked it or not.

Offering him a thumbs-up, I trudged carefully after the others, falling toward the left flank of the group and placing myself between Daryl and Rick. Those with weapons had them ready, including Danny, despite the fact that he hadn't been directed to by Rick. Jake was by my side, trembling ferociously, when I informed him softly, "Just get to the passenger side… you'll be fine, little brother."

He offered me a shaky smile, gasping sharply as we reached the door. One of the walkers had strayed toward the cars, but as far as I could tell, they hadn't gotten into any of them. The RV was iffy – its doors were always partially open – but the others were empty.

On the way out, I caught sight of a gas can sitting beside an upturned rocker. Hastily reaching for it, I beamed as I tested its weight. It was at least half-full – and we certainly could have used it to fill the tanks – but damn if I didn't want to blow the walkers up…

So, I simply began sloshing it across the porch, earning confused, mildly perturbed glances from the others. Waving them toward the cars, I led the trail down the steps, my gun still trained on any walker that dared get too close.

Once the thing was empty – and everyone was mostly in their vehicles, I opened the driver's side door as Daryl climbed into the bed of the truck. Standing on the edge of the thing, I stared over the roof, catching a flame in the lighter and hoping it would last.

Lobbing it toward the dampened grass, I smirked as it caught fire, immediately traveling toward the house. Some of the walkers that had made their way into the building went up in flames, their arms stretched wide, their skin melting. It was a disgusting sight, but hopefully they would get charred enough that they'd just drop and remain there.

Slipping hastily into the truck, I revved the engine and took off hastily after the RV. As Daryl stood in the back, bracing himself against the back of the cab, he took off what walkers he could; his aim wasn't perfect as we bounced across the lawn, but he seemed to be enjoying himself.

The house went up in flames rather quickly; at least the porch anyway. And since that's where the walkers were concentrated, I considered it a victory. Beaming, I grabbed the walkie sitting atop the dash as Shane's voice echoed, tinny and resonant, through the cab, "Cat, you are one crazy bitch."

Cackling, I nodded to myself, "Hell yeah…"

~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!

We'd been traveling for a good few days before we were caught up in a crazy-ass traffic jam. There were no people, of course, aside from bodies littered to and fro, but there were cars galore. They must have been like sitting ducks.

Daryl was on his bike – he'd only taken to getting back in the truck when we opted to stop for the evening – and was currently making his way through the cars, weaving slowly, carefully, at the head of the convoy.

He pulled over beside the RV – Rick was at the helm – and I could see him nod shortly, before taking off again through the vehicles. I worried about him, being exposed like that, but he assured me with a scoff that he'd be fine.

Jake was dozing off beside me, the raccoon curled up on his lap. The little thing was getting bigger every day and I wasn't certain how much longer we could keep him with us. Then again, I wasn't sure that he'd be able to live in the wild; he'd been handfed and petted daily.

Daryl assured me there'd be hell to pay if 'that thing crapped in this truck; may not be th' best thing runnin', but I don't care'… He loved that truck. I think, even though he and Merle hadn't been particularly close, he wanted to keep something of his brother with him.

That got me to wondering what would happen when we inevitably encountered the chauvinistic bastard again. I knew Merle was alive; he was a crazy bastard who was probably just as at home in the woods as his brother was.

But had he gotten our message? That we were on our way to the CDC? Did he reach it? Did he bother coming back to look for us? And, if he did, did he find the thing up in flames and change course? Would he meet us at Fort Benning?

And when he did, was he gonna beat our asses for leaving him behind?

Probably not Daryl's, but I doubted he would let the rest of us go Scott-free… And what would he think of his brother and I getting together? I didn't necessarily _want _or _need _his approval, but I surely knew that Daryl probably did. He was the closest relative he had, even though they weren't particularly _close_… I could only assume he'd care about his opinion.

Damn.

All I knew was that Merle thought I was sexy and wanted in my pants. Would he be okay with me sleeping with, not him, but his brother?

God, why did I even _care_?

It didn't take long for Daryl to return, heading toward the truck after making a pit stop at the RV. Leaning out of the window as he stopped the bike beside me, he noted, "There's a way through. It'll be tight, but I think th' RV can make it. Don't know how far we'll get, though…"

Nodding, I smiled and reached for him. He regarded my hand momentarily, before accepting it, his fingers locking with my own. If he were a romantic, he probably would've kissed my knuckles, but, as it was, he simply squeezed them before returning his hand to the handlebar.

Turning his bike around, he took his position at the head of the column once more, slowly guiding us through the mass of cars. It was a slow task, but we made a bit of progress. The cars were going at less than five miles an hour, the RV nudging away the butts of cars when they were too close or light enough.

Eventually, though, the RV began to smoke, the radiator or something giving out on it. Cursing, I glanced around, peering into the nearest cars as I pulled over. Raking a hand through my hair, I leaned back against the seat and licked my lips. Glancing over at Jake, I gently poked the boy's shoulder, "Jake?"

He stirred, rubbing his eyes with the back of his hand, and inquired groggily, "Huh? What's up?"

"We have to get out," I replied apologetically, ruffling his hair and petting Winfield, "the RV broke down again."

"I don't want to get out," Jake rolled his eyes upward, stretching and sounding utterly defeated, "can't we just sleep? Like, forever?"

Well, there were ways to do that, but I certainly wasn't for it.

Lifting a shoulder, I informed him with a light grin, "you and Carl and Sophia can hang out in the RV while we figure out how to fix it…"

This seemed to perk him up; he grinned and peered around the street, making certain there were no walkers around. Smart boy.

Climbing out of the car, I made certain we wouldn't be attacked before reaching the RV. There didn't seem to be any walkers around, so I tucked my S&W back in my waistband and gestured for Jake to follow me. He hurriedly climbed out of the car and jogged toward the RV, where Carl and his mother stood, stretching and glancing around.

Following him, I glanced from Lori to Shane, who decided to approach the little group. As Carl and Jake disappeared into the interior of the vehicle, I fisted my hands on my hips and queried of Lori, "What's goin' on?"

"Same thing as always," she sighed, frustration and anxiety lacing her tone as she raked a hand through her long, dirtied hair, "Rick wants to look around, see if we can find any hoses or anything to replace it with…"

"Might as well," Shane noted, lifting a shoulder and folding his arms across his chest, peering around the immediate area for any sign of danger. The others began congregating around the side of the RV, all querying and questioning, looking for a stable plan.

Rick scratched the back of his neck, appearing from around the hood with Dale and Daryl. Sighing, he informed us all exhaustedly that we would have to search the immediate area for something of use; while he showed me what he was looking for, I doubted I could dig through the engines of the cars around us and find it.

Instead, I opted to follow Lori and Carol's idea: search the cars for anything of value. Clothes, food, hell, I'd be happy with some sunscreen or a goddamn hat. This weather was killing my skin – like the lack of showers and lotion didn't do just that anyway.

Knowing that Jake was sticking close to Riley, Carl, and Sophia, I could stray a bit. Keeping one hand on the hilt of my gun, I scanned the area, peering into the open doors of nearby cars. Most people seemed to be traveling with their belongings, a useful thing when you were traveling with barely anything through a zombie-infested country.

A large SUV was just off to the left, the front, passenger splayed open. Stalking slowly toward it, I withdrew the gun and peered through the window. The glass had been shattered and blood was smeared across the entire front of the cab. There weren't any remains – I didn't know what to think of that; was it good that there was nothing left of them to be changed? – so I glanced into the back seat. There was a suitcase and, upon further inspection, the trunk was full of them.

I only felt mildly bad about rifling through the family's belongings, before assuring myself that they wouldn't mind if someone else benefitted from things they no longer could. So I unlatched the first suitcase, searching for anything useful.

A few pairs of socks, clean enough, it seemed; setting them to the side, I continued on with my inspection. The rest of it was guy's stuff, but mostly it was khakis and dress shirts. Not the most useful thing in an apocalypse.

So, onto the next one.

The next one was more useful. There were a few pairs of shorts, some cargo ones and some denim ones, that I could probably fit into. If I couldn't, I was certain Riley or Andrea could benefit from them. Another few tank tops were tucked under my arm when I left that car behind.

A few more cars proved empty, but the next one, a Focus, looked pretty fruitful. Peering over my shoulder, I realized how far I was from the others, a hint of unease stretching through me. Chewing on my lower lip, I fought the urge to return to them and stretched my hand into the front seat.

Popping the trunk, I slipped around to the back and found about six duffel bags. Beginning my search, I dug idly through the bag, humming some David Cook under my breath. _Huh, did he survive, I wonder…_

Suddenly, a guttural moan sounded nearby; immediately, I stiffened and turned quickly, my gun in hand before I realized what was happening. The air stilled in my lungs and my body tensed, eyes searching wildly for the source of the sound. There, just a few hundred yards away, I caught sight of the horrifyingly familiar awkward stagger of a walker caught my eye.

Along with another five or six.

_Shit_.

~!~!~!~!~!~!~

So! Season TWO! Please, please, please review! I'd really appreciate it; I think this story kind of died down in popularity. Suggest to friends! Suggest to family! Haha, hope you liked it everyone!

Leyshla Gisel: Thanks! I know, it was crazy! Aww poor little Winfield! I couldn't let him die, not in an explosion lol!

Ranstormslove: thank you! I love him too! He's so damn hot and sexy… I'm glad you're liking Cat; I was hoping she would be kinda badass…thank you! I mean, I wanted to save people, but gotta do what I gotta do! I know, I didn't want to kill them off, but I thought there were too many people in the story haha…

Nelle07: Thanks! Me too!

LovelySpecter: She totally is… I know, I felt bad for T-Dog; you mentioning that is why I put that little snippet in there! Oooh that's awesome! I'll be wearing my Team Daryl shirt for sure!

KillerKadoogan: Thanks! Haha I'm so glad you think so! Oh, I'm definitely continuing with this! He's so sexy, I can't stop here! I'm so glad you're enjoying it though!

Dalonega Noquisi: Oh good! I was worried! Haha bet you're excited to see another so soon!


	26. Down to the River

Author's Note: Tonight everyone! Walking Dead! SDGDSJNDDFJDSPFIUWNSMFN I'm so exciteddddd! Now, I don't really know where to go with this one, but we'll see where my fingers take me. I never really know what's gonna happen; my mind is more of a free-spirit, let's do what we feel like doing kind of thing.

AN2: So my brother's girlfriend's mom is an author and she's gonna take one of my books to her agent and we'll see if she likes it! :O What if they want to become my agent?! Dkndsjgn;odsijsdfknl;dsgdgjldkldgkjsd!

AN3: I really want Norman Reedus to follow me on Twitter. But I don't want to be like hey you should follow me cuz I lurrrve yououuuouou lol.

Disclaimer: I don't own the Walking Dead. It's unfortunate, because I love it so much. And Daryl ;D

Chapter Twenty-Three: Down to the River

_Suddenly, a guttural moan sounded nearby; immediately, I stiffened and turned quickly, my gun in hand before I realized what was happening. The air stilled in my lungs and my body tensed, eyes searching wildly for the source of the sound. There, just a few hundred yards away, I caught sight of the horrifyingly familiar awkward stagger of a walker caught my eye. _

_Along with another five or six. _

Shit_._

Peering quickly over my shoulder, I could see Dale standing on the roof of the RV, binoculars casually brimming over the cars, searching for a threat.

_Well I fucking found one!_ My mind screamed, urging me to either flip the shit out or run silently back toward the safety of the RV.

Rick had his rifle pointed in my direction, peering through the scope; waving wildly at him, I watched him glance up at me, curiosity furrowing his brow. Wide-eyed, I waved my arms at the walkers headed our way, begging myself not to let out a nervous hum that threatened to escape.

He quickly lifted the rifle back up, seeing now what I had seen; panic etched across his face as he waved me back toward the others. He didn't need to tell me twice; crouching low to the ground, I made quick work of most of the distance.

Suddenly, a walker growled, incredibly close to where I was; instinctively, I dropped to the ground and rolled beneath a car, praying that they wouldn't be clever enough to look beneath the shelter and drag me out.

Heart pounding loudly in my ears, my chest heaved, gun clasped to my chest as I stared up at the undercarriage of a small Ford. It was a tight fit, one that made me mildly claustrophobic, but I preferred my chances beneath the vehicle than wandering through the cars, just hoping a walker wouldn't grab me.

Eyes everywhere, I tried my chest to keep sight of all angles of the car; I didn't want to be caught off guard, but it was ridiculously hard to maneuver underneath it, trying to see a million places at once.

_Please let them have gotten under cars,_ I begged, eyes wide, staring almost through the car, at the sky, hoping my prayers would be answered, _everyone… Jake, Danny, Riley… Daryl… everybody… please let them find cover. Please, please, please… oh God, please… _

Soon, the telltale shuffling of the walkers reached my ears. The first one wandered by the car, unaware of my presence beneath it; watching it wander by, I caught sight of a startling amount of legs. There were dozens of them! What were they doing, moving together in a herd like that? Was that normal? How many were there?

Gnawing on my lip to keep from making a single goddamn sound, I took slow, steady breaths through my nostrils, focusing on nothing other than the walkers. I wanted to be aware of them, as aware as they _weren't_ about me.

What seemed like an eternity passed until only a few stragglers were moving by my hideout. They walked with a horrible stagger, feet dragging awkwardly – painfully, if they were alive – along the ground. Some were barefoot, others with tatters of shoes left on their feet. Some had pants, skirts, even pajamas on, though they were all a mottled gray or brown from blood, mud, and exposure to the elements.

Shifting awkwardly, I had hoped to roll myself over, onto my stomach, and perhaps get a better angle on what was happening toward the RV. A sharp, sudden sting burst through my arm and I clutched it to my chest, examining it as best I could.

The skin had shredded slightly, blood trickling out at a steady pace, down my elbow and onto the pavement, from one of the many pieces of metal beneath the car. Freezing, I watched as a walker stopped beside the car, moaning lowly, gutturally. Eyes wide, I watched as it shifted its body, readying to crouch.

Without a word, I shimmied out from beneath the car, on the other side, and peered around quickly. The walker had just dropped and I had no other shelter. The window to the sedan was busted out, the glass in shards that I'd probably just rolled through on the ground.

Scrambling inside, I slid into the driver's seat, peering out of the window at the legs of the walker as it sought me out beneath the car. Checking the backseat for any sign of a walker – lots of blood but no bodies – I reached instinctively for the keys.

Still in the ignition, I hurriedly tested the engine; to my surprise and delight, it revved to life, the gas light pinging but still alive. Hurriedly shifting into reverse, I backed the car up, the trunk slamming into the Hummer behind it. Jolting at the impact, I felt the telltale bump of something beneath the front tires. Growling, I threw the car back into drive and ran forward, the back tires now jumping over something.

Carrying out the process a time or two again, I panted as I flung the car into park. Yanking the door open, I retrieved my gun from the console and peered slowly, disconcertedly, beneath the vehicle.

The thing reeked to high heaven, let me tell you. Fighting the urge to gag, I saw its legs twitch, an involuntary movement as not a single sound escaped the monster.

_Shouldn't,_ I mused, mildly delighted, _ran over its head, like, five times…_

Leaning back in the seat, I allowed my eyes to drift shut, relief flooding through me. Survival mode, yay! A scream tore suddenly through the air, high and terrified, distinctly feminine.

Oh Lord, Sophia…

Slipping out of the now smoking vehicle, I kept my gun held high, ready to shoot at any walker that might have stood in my path. Or at least beat the bastard over the head a time or two.

As I neared the RV, I saw two walkers climb over the steel railing along the highway, their paces quick, their minds set on one thing. Racing toward the edge, I took a running leap, pushing off of the railing and promptly tumbling down the hill.

My body screamed as I hit something, rolling and flailing, a ferocious growl startlingly close. Oh God, I was tangled up with a walker. As we tumbled through the dirt and underbrush, I struggled and scrambled, praying those teeth wouldn't find me.

We skidded to a halt, our legs intertwined, our bodies facing away from each other. Thankfully it didn't take long for me to disentangle myself from it, checking myself over wildly for any bites as I scrambled backwards through the dirt.

Momentarily terrified at the blood on my arm, I reminded myself of the scrape and promptly did my best to curbstomp the zombie. It didn't work completely; half his skull was caved in, but he still reached, grabbed, bit at me.

Breathlessly, I could hear the others calling for both Sophia and I, drawing my attention to the very reason I leapt into the woods in the first place. Spinning, I tried to see through the trees, hoping for a flash of blue. That's what she was wearing, right? Blue? With a little rainbow… yeah, that's what it was…

Suddenly, the snapping of branches and twigs caught my attention; spinning, I skidded to my knees, scrambling for a rock or something. I needn't have worried, though; it was only Rick. He was wild-eyed, panting heavily as he dropped to the ground, "Are you okay? Cat? Cat, are you alright? Were you bit?"

"No, nonono," I breathed, staring down at the walker, drawing my lower lip into my mouth and gnawing, "I'm alright… Where'd she go? Where's Sophia?"

"Go back to the road," he stated, catching my shoulders and drawing me to my feet, stroking my hair as if to calm me down. I guess I could see why; I was covered in blood, especially my right boot and leg where I'd stomped in the walker's skull. "Cat, go back; Daryl's looking for you. I'll go find Sophia."

"Like hell you're going alone," I scoffed, watching as he destroyed the rest of the walker's skull, "Daryl's a big boy; he can handle himself without me. Let's go."

Retrieving my gun, I flipped it around in my hand, holding the barrel like the base of a club. The former sheriff's lips pursed in a thin line, obviously unhappy with my decision even as we heard Daryl bellowing my name, cursing up a storm, but it wasn't his decision to make.

Which way to go, though?

The sound of growling echoed through the woods – it was our best bet. Taking off through the bushes, I heard Rick follow quickly behind, overtaking me easily and darting ahead. Veering left, he guided me through the trees; neither of us knew where to go, but any decision was better than none at all.

Leaves and branches slapped at my arms and face, leaving small cuts, I assumed, with each sting. Following Rick's dirtied white shirt, I glanced hastily from side to side, trying desperately to catch sight of the little girl and her pursuers.

How many were there? Was she being chased down by a mob or had there been only the two that I'd seen originally go over the barrier?

Suddenly, I could see two walkers through the branches, their awkward gait recognizable from miles away. Rick skidded to a halt; nearly stumbling into his back, I latched onto his arms, muttering quietly, "What? What? Why'd you stop?"

"There's Sophia," he gestured to the young girl, her blonde hair flashing through the trees. A quick glance at the sheriff told me that I was to go after her; he'd take care of the walkers.

Nodding silently, I raced ahead, leaving the man behind and trying desperately to catch up with the little girl. She was like lightning, though, the cat dangling from her arm as she darted through the bushes.

Huffing, I put a little extra oomph into my step and raced through the trees, pushing off from a particularly massive oak. Breathlessly, I tried to call out for the girl; it came out in pants, nearly inaudible, "So… Soph! Sophia! Hey! _Hey!_"

Casting a quick glane over her shoulder, she nearly tripped over her own feet at the sight of me. Skidding to a halt, I nearly plowed her down in the process.

"Good… Lord!" I squeaked, tripping and catching the girl's arm, hoping to keep her from flailing and escaping by drawing her to my chest. She trembled something awful, trying to dislodge me as though I were…

"I'm not a walker, sweetie," I shushed her, even as she sobbed and shuddered, crouching down to her level and forcing her to look at me. With wide, chocolate eyes, I raked a hand through my shaggy, chestnut hair, "Listen to me, Sophia. Me and Rick are here; there're only a few walkers, but I don't know if he can handle them both himself. Why don't you climb a tree and I'll come back for you after I help him out?"

"Please don't leave me," she cried, her dark eyes terrified, clinging to me for dear life, "please. I want to go back. Where's my mama? I want to go back to the RV."

"I know, hun," I cooed, stroking her hair and pulling her into a tight hug, even as branches cracked and snapped around us. I couldn't hear Rick, so I could only assume it was a walker. Urging her toward the nearest tree, I tried to get her to climb, going so far as to try and push her up the trunk.

No go.

Of course.

She refused, claiming she didn't know how. I didn't have the time to give her the basics, knowing she probably wasn't comprehending a word I was saying. So I simply turned her around and pushed her deeper into the woods, my hands itching for the gun at my hip; it wouldn't do me any good to fire off a shot, either at a walker or to draw Rick's attention. There were so many of them; I couldn't believe how many there had been. What were they doing in a pack?

A snap. A growl. Three walkers approaching, their mangled arms outstretched, their mouths dirtied with blood and gore.

Ushering Sophia ahead of me, I quickened our pace, wishing I could pick up the girl and carry her back to camp. I even tried, but, small as I was, even a burst of adrenaline wouldn't help me lift her.

So we ran into the small stream, where a tree's root system stood high out of the water. It was small enough that she could fit, she could hide. The water might even have been able to throw the walkers off of her scent, if they caught her again.

Tucking her into it, I bent to her level. My heart ached for the terrified child; God only knows what I would do in her situation, at that age, but I did what I could to assure her I would be back. Stroking her cheek, I pressed a kiss to her forehead, "Do _not_ leave this spot. Don't. Not until I come back to get you. You see Rick, you flag him down, you hear me. Me or him; no one else. Unless they talk, unless you know it's one of us and not a walker, you don't move. You understand me, Sophia?"

The walkers were getting closer; she gasped and nodded, eyes screwed shut tightly in fear. I inhaled sharply, lungs burning from the running, from the fear, but I had to push on. Draw them away. I'd do it for any of them; I'd do it for her now.

!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!

"What if they come back?" Lori inquired, her tone loud but lacking conviction. She didn't trust Daryl Dixon as much as Cat did, no matter what she said. Especially when he was rampaging between the cars, crossbow clenched tightly in one fist, his face ablaze with a fiery frustration, with disgust and, most importantly, concern. "If they come back and some of us are missing, it's gonna be worse than it is now…"

"Please go find my baby!" Carol sobbed, her face in her hands even as she faced the forest, waiting for any sign of Cat or Rick with her daughter safely in tow.

Daryl kicked a muddied boot against the flat tire of an old, beat up sedan, muscles taut, jaw clenched. He lifted the crossbow, taking aim at, well, no one was quite sure, but if getting a shot off made him feel any better, they'd let him do it. Better at a car or a fallen walker than one of them.

His dark hair jutted off in odd directions, darkened with sweat, mud and blood tracking streaks down his face. He didn't bother to spare a glance at T-Dog as he got patched up by Glenn and Dale. Sure, he saved his life, but he hadn't been paying close enough attention to Cat. He hadn't seen where she wandered off to, hadn't been thinking to watch her.

Hadn't he sworn to her that he would keep her safe? Wasn't that his new goal in life? Her and her family? The kid, the two teenagers she'd dragged along, the ones that had survived anyways. He had practically thrown the boy, Jake, into the trunk of a car, slamming it shut with the assurance that he'd be back for him when the hoard had passed.

So where was she now?

Lost in the woods, looking for a little girl.

He wanted to go after her strictly on the principle that he was, what?, her boyfriend? Her lover? He didn't know what to call himself and in that goddamn moment, he didn't care. All he cared about was finding her.

She was shit in the woods, he knew that. She couldn't find her way out of a paper bag unless she knew the area. And she didn't know the woods, not at all. Not like he did.

Carol was right; he should've been out there, looking for them both. The only thing that kept him back was the thought that Rick would probably be with her, hot on her heels as they scoured the area for the missing girl, and the twelve year old currently inching his way toward the burly hunter.

"Daryl… please, can't you go look for her?" he inquired, emerald eyes wide, glossy with tears as his lower lip jutted out just a bit. Daryl wasn't a fan of kids, he'd be the first to admit it, but he knew the feeling, losing someone close to you. Hell, even if he and Merle weren't the best of friends, it had hardened his heart to know that he'd been left for dead. That he wasn't there to protect him. Which one protecting the other, he didn't know, but he knew it hurt like hell and Cat was all this kid had left. He may not have liked the idea of this boy following him around, of being another person to keep an eye on who couldn't protect himself, but he'd be damned if he didn't keep an eye on him. For Kit.

She'd beat his ass black and blue if she knew he left the boy to his own defenses.

Lip curling in mild apprehension, Daryl dropped down to the ground, eye level to the kid. He wouldn't hug him, if that's what the boy was looking for, but he did place a calloused hand on his shoulder, giving him a rough, reassuring shake.

He needed to calm himself down a bit, if only to keep the kid from panicking. The others weren't doing so hot either; Danny and Riley. They were clinging to each other, the girl with clear streaks down her face where the tears had wiped away the dirt and grime. The boy was muttering something, he didn't really care to know.

Quelling his rage for the moment, he squinted at the kid, nodding slowly, making certain that there wasn't a hint of doubt in his low, rough tone, "She's gonna be fine. She'll be back in no time. Gotta watch your ass, make sure you're here when she gets back."

"But…"

"Shut up, kid, and listen to me," Daryl practically growled, consciously making an effort not to dig his fingers into the kid's bony shoulder, his fear and anxiety threatening to well through his sturdy, solid frame, "she's fine. I ain't gonna say it again. You wanna tell her you thought she wasn't comin' back?"

Mutely, Jake shook his head, his trepidation palpable, evident, as he peered over the railing, into the softly swaying trees.

Peering up at the rest of the group, who all stood back but watched the goings-on with confusion, with pity, he stood swiftly, patting the boy's chest roughly, and snarled, "What the hell you lookin' at? All of 'em are gonna be alright."

Turning sharply, he stalked off a bit, away from the others, and pounded his fist into the side of the nearest car.

Why didn't his words make him feel any better?

~~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!

Even the coolest theme song in the world, not even the Mission Impossible music, could _not_ make this chase any better. Powering through the trees, I didn't have to stop and think: there was no doubt about it, me being lost.

But the walkers were still chasing me, ergo the need to keep running was dire. Leaping over fallen logs and hollowed out tree trunks, I tried to spy the proper tree. It needed to be big, sturdy, something that wouldn't give under my weight. If I got up there, I could wait it out; maybe they wouldn't see where I had gone to and they would wander off into the darkness.

I needed to get them alone, but every time I looked back, there seemed to be one or two more than last time. By now, there had to be seven? Eight? I couldn't tell, nor did I want to actually stop and take a head count.

Unless it was with my gun.

Where the hell was my bow? Back with the RV. Why I'd only taken my gun, I'd never know and probably wouldn't live long enough to fully regret it anyway. The sun was sinking, lower and lower, and my heart only leapt to my throat at the thought of being in the woods, alone, in the dark, with who knows how many walkers around me?

Cursing, I stumbled over a pebble, my heart pounding in my chest, as the fingers of a walker brushed along my back. Fighting the urge to scream, I picked my tree; it was close, it was tall, it didn't matter if it wasn't wide around. I needed shelter and I needed it immediately.

Leaping up, I caught a branch, hauling myself up and propelling my feet up along the trunk. Bark gave way under foot, showering the walkers below, but I made it up with little problem. Now, if only the walkers couldn't climb.

If they could, I'd be fucked.

~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~

"I don't know where they are."

Even if it was quiet, everyone in their little powwow heard it. Thank God Lori had ushered Carol away; she seemed to be the only one unaware of Rick's confession. Shane gaped at his partner, glancing quickly toward Daryl, who remained absolutely motionless, his crossbow propped against his shoulder.

"I lost sight of 'em, both of 'em, but last I knew, Cat had her," Rick breathed, stroking his chin and glancing nervously toward the hunter. If he put a bolt through his skull, he wouldn't necessarily blame him. If Cat's and Lori's positions were shifted around… Jaw clenched, he raked a hand through his dampened hair, "She had her. No doubt about it. She prob'ly told her to hide. Prob'ly tried to take her back here, but got lost."

The group shifted anxiously from foot to foot, most eyes darting toward Daryl or Carol, wondering who would have the worst meltdown. To his surprise, though, Daryl simply nodded once, slinging the crossbow before him, "She may be small, but I told her b'fore. She's like a cow out there. I'll find her. I'll find her tracks an' find her. Find both of 'em and bring 'em back."

"Well we're coming with you," Glenn announced, glancing hurriedly toward Sane, who simply nodded and retrieved his weapon. They could leave the others for the moment, especially with Dale and his rifle watching over the group. He wasn't as good a shot as the others, but he knew how to handle a weapon. How to keep them safe.

Without another word, Glenn, Shane, Rick, Danny, and Daryl began scouring the forest for any sign of either Cat or Sophia. It wasn't hard for Daryl to pick up their tracks, carrying on together for a point until they hit the water.

The rock that had formed in the pit of his stomach early on still settled, hard and heavy, in his gut. Hitting the water was both smart and stupid; the walkers may have lost track of them, but so did he. They could have gone for miles, following the water, but it wouldn't matter if they didn't know which way to go.

"Kit!" he called, the others picking up on the slight catch in his voice but keeping silent. It wouldn't do them any good to tease the big bad hunter; he'd beat them bloody, just like Rick had done with the other walkers. "Sophia!"

"Look!" Danny pointed out a small grove of roots, where a small, blue swatch of cloth floated beneath it, snagged on the bark. Turning it over in his hands, he nodded to himself, "This is part of Sophia's shirt."

"They both couldn't fit under there," Glenn noted anxiously, knuckles white as he clenched the gun to his chest, "that's… I mean, maybe Sophia was down there, but Cat couldn't have been. Not both of them."

Daryl growled low under his breath. The Asian was right. He coulda lifted Kit with one hand, but she couldn't bend her five foot frame to fit beneath that, especially with a tall, skinny little girl under there too. So where did she go?

"Prob'ly drew off some walkers, if there were any," he noted gruffly, clearing his throat of the stinging lump at its base. What the hell was that? Was he gonna cry? Hell no, he wouldn't, 'specially not in front of the assholes around him.

"Let's look for more tracks," Rick suggested, sighing heavily as he lowered his gaze. Why hadn't he kept them in his sights? They probably could have avoided the walkers if they tried; made their way back to the others. Now he had two missing people, two friends, on his hands. How in God's name were they going to find them?

Daryl trudged out of the water, slinging his bow over his shoulders as he searched the ground. There were tracks, a few sets. Some were small, too small to be a walker's; Sophia's. They went off in one direction, the freshest of them all. Another, a booted set, still small but a bit bigger than the child's, went off in another direction. Some of the prints were covered over by the long skid marks. Walker tracks.

There were at least five of them on her.

"_SHIT!_" he bellowed, yanking a knife from his boot and hurling it at a tree, chest heaving. The blade was buried to the hilt within the bark, giving Glenn a rough time as he tried to yank it out.

Rick was on him before he could say another word, hands on his shoulders, jaw tensed as though ready for a hit.

He was tempted.

Good Lord was he tempted.

But he clenched his fists, opting to save his ire for the walkers after Kit. There wouldn't be much left of them, once he'd gotten through with them. They would be in pieces, scattered around the forest for the scavengers, if they wanted them.

"You need to calm down," Rick stated, his tone soothing but firm, "this does Cat _no_ good. She's probably back at camp already; why don't we just follow her tracks, see where they went? You have your bow; it'll be easier to take them down without any more noticing."

"She don't have hers," Daryl bit out, teeth bared, an ugly sneer on his face. At Rick's confusion, he continued, each word like acid on his tongue, "She_ don't_ have her bow. She can't shoot 'em if she don't have her bow. She's just runnin'."

"Then we'll have to be quick to catch up," the sheriff replied, patting his shoulder and releasing him quickly, noticing the hunter's muscles, his fists, clench, "Glenn, I want you to come with me. We'll go after Sophia."

"I'll head back to camp, distract everyone for a bit," Shane suggested, raking a hand through his thick, curly hair, "give 'em something to do. Little chores."

Rick nodded, glancing quickly at Danny, whose nostrils flared and eyes flashed, "You wanna go with Daryl?"

"I don't need to watch some punk-ass kid's back," Daryl snarled, his tone low, dangerous. To his credit, Danny didn't back down; he simply shirked back a bit but noted forcefully, "I'm looking for her. I'll watch your back when you're taking out the walkers."

"Fine," Daryl noted, disgust evident as he looked over the boy. He'd look out for him, but like the kid, he didn't have to like him.

~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~

A walker wandered through the trees, alone, stumbling over its feet and running into tree trunks. Danny wanted to shoot it, a stupid idea, but Daryl simply cocked his bow and let loose a bolt. It went clean through its skull, downing the walker immediately.

Rick had joined him once more, informing him that it seemed like Sophia's footprints had turned at some point; maybe she'd gone looking for Cat, because they ran parallel, a little further up on what seemed like a foot path through the woods.

Crouching down, Rick grimaced, peering at the walker's teeth. Flesh clung to them, but, as he pulled some out, he couldn't be sure what kind it was.

"It ate something recently," he muttered, running the back of his hand over his forehead, swiping the sweat away with a frustrated sigh.

"You don't think it was… Cat or Sophia, do you?" Danny muttered, looking a little more than green around the gills.

"Only one way to find out," Daryl noted, more than willing to slice open the bastard. He had probably been one of the ones after Kit; his footprints mingled with the ones already there, no real pattern to the tracks from the walkers.

Rick slipped on a pair of gardening gloves, flexing his fingers and reaching for his large hunting knife. Daryl shook his head, his own gloves already on, and pushed the sheriff's deputy out of the way, "I got this. You prob'ly ain't never gutted anything b'fore anyways. Plus," he retrieved his butchering knife, the one Kit called his machete, "mine's bigger."

Without much talk, he drove the knife into the walker's gut. Once. Twice. Three times. He cast a quick glance at the others, failing to fight a smirk as both looked ready to upchuck. The kid did, just behind Rick, who looked less than enthused at the newest mess.

Heart pounding in his ears, he could feel the skin on his neck, his ears, warming. And it wasn't from the effort. He didn't know what to expect, in the walker's stomach, but if it even remotely resembled anything either girl was wearing…

Tossing bits and pieces of the walker aside, he took some sadistic glee in tearing apart something that could have torn apart his girl. When he reached the stomach, he held it in both hands, dropping it onto the ground before Rick, "Gut sack."

Grimacing, Rick sliced it open, two sets of eyes focused on him. It didn't take long to root through the small balloon.

With some relief, Daryl lifted the skull of a groundhog with his knife, examining it and muttering, "Ugly bastard had himself a woodchuck for lunch."

With that, Danny promptly tossed his cookies yet again.

Daryl shook his head, the sight disgusting him. He worked better alone.

Rick stood tall, yanking his gloves off and tucking them in his belt. Staring dejectedly at the corpse, he shook his head, resolution in his tone as he stated, "We'll keep looking. Until the sun goes down."

"What if we don't find them tonight?" Danny queried breathlessly, hoarsely, as he sat himself back on his ass.

Daryl was in his face in an instant, ignoring the bile and grabbing his collar. The boy looked terrified, and rightly so; the intensity in Daryl's gaze was unbelievable. It was hard to believe that Cat was so in love with him, but those feelings, it seemed, were mutual.

"Say that again and I'll kick your ass," he avowed, lip curling in frustration.

Rick caught his shoulder, dragging the hunter back and putting some distance between him and Cat's young friend, "If we don't find them tonight, we start again tomorrow." A quick glance at Daryl – the hunter, lips pursed in a thin, almost invisible line only nodded – and he straightened himself out, "We just keep looking. We find a walker, we check its stomach. We keep going. We'll find them both."

Tucking his knife into its holster, Daryl rolled his shoulders, retrieving his bow and continuing on the hunt. Jaw set in determination, he silently assured himself that he'd find Kit. He'd find her before it got dark.

Her and Sophia.

~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~

"Dear Lord, please let Sophia have gotten back to camp," I breathed, rubbing my nose to get some heat back to it. It was like ice beneath my fingers; it was still summer, but Lord knew it wasn't always warm at night, especially in the dark. "Let her be there. Not bitten. Don't let her be bitten. Let her be back with Carol, with the others. I'll be alright here, just… don't hurt her. She's just a baby."

Silence echoed around me, no voice responding to my call. That's okay, it was out there, the request was placed, the hope, the feeling behind it. I'd just have to hope it'd be answered.

One of the walkers below growled, a low, scratchy sound that grated on my already spiked nerves. I was going to go nuts, sitting up there by myself, just waiting for the walkers to realize that they could probably climb, even if it was overtop one another, and pull me from the branches.

The night was black, pitch black; I couldn't see a thing around me. Critters moved about in the tree, probably an owl or squirrel or something. But I tried my best not to be startled, to stand my ground if something came swooping at my face. I wouldn't be pushed to the ground, to be eaten alive, by some stupid, little chipmunk.

Peering down, I was able to count the walkers now. Seven of them. Even if I had enough rounds in my gun, the sound would only draw more. The others probably weren't close – they probably weren't out looking, not in the dark – enough to come to my rescue, to staunch the flow of endless walkers from surrounding my tree.

If there were enough of them, would they be able to knock it over?

"Lord, just… uh, just real quick," I muttered, eyes drifting up, catching a few of the stars through the canopy overhead, "could You keep the tree from… not falling down? I'd appreciate it. A lot."

Burrowing into myself, goose bumps cropping up along my skin, I nestled against the tree trunk, hoping to keep a little warmth to myself. Man, if I died of exposure, I'd be so pissed. Made it through months and months of walkers only to be taken down by the cold? That would suck so bad…

Each time the tree swayed – I was a good fifteen feet up and the branches weren't quite as steady as I would have liked them to be – I clung to the branch, a mini heart attack striking me. I didn't think I could survive a drop like that, especially into the small hoard at the base of the tree.

Too exhausted to fight it, I found myself drifting off tentatively to the hoots of owls and the growls of the walkers below.

!~!~!~!~!~!~!

Ta da! Back and better than ever, just like the show! Please read and review, I love it when you guys do! I can't update without responses lol ;D What did you think of tonight's episode? Crazy? Intense? Awesome?

Also, please check out my books on Amazon. They're like this but not lol!

Leyshla Gisel: Yes! No they can't; it's horrible! Haha yeah he's sexy, but he got ca-razy lol! Haha thanks, so glad you liked it!

Nelle07: yes!

Zeppelin: I know, after I wrote it I regretted it but didn't feel like changing it lol. She's stupid sometimes haha.

Dalonega Noquisi: Aw thanks! I loved that part personally :D Yeah, how could he do that? That's Daryl's special name. I got another name in store for her from him; it'll be cute!

Sdwafford; Thanks! I know, it was quite quick lol! Haha yeah, Shane deserved it!

Cocoa85715: Hmm, I don't remember if I did or not. So just for you, I put a bit in here. I'll add more later; I honestly can't remember through all these chapters lol. Thank you! I really appreciate hearing that; it's hard to write someone into a show, but I can't see her doing everything right every time. She tries her best and sometimes it blows up in her face.

JTellersOldLady: Thank ya! Lots of people seemed to like that part, myself included :D

xXx Tinkies xXx: haha yes! He needed to be punched. I was rewatching the episodes, Shane gets sooo crazy near the end. Ridiculous.

LovelySpecter: Thanks! Wow, I'm so glad you think so! I know, reading some of my old stuff, I'm like ewwww did I write that haha. But I'm really glad you think it's getting better. I do try! Yeah, this one was crazy! I liked this chapter personally haha

ErikaLynne: Haha well thank you! Glad you liked it and sorry if it took you away from more important things; that happens to me sometimes when I read, I get so distracted by it!

DeviantDames: Thanks so much for the PM! I got nervous at first; when they're long and not reviews, I tend to think they're gonna be flames haha. I can't believe you read it all in a day! I'm glad you like Daryl; he's kinda hard to write, but then again not. I get worried he's OOC sometimes, but he is a sweetie in the show, especially in the second season. I'm glad you think they work well together; so do I! also, so glad your friend pointed you in this direction!


	27. Wandering

A/N: So, last night's episode? Awesome! Rick's becoming so badass, I love it… And Daryl… ah, what can I say? I swoon every time he gets face time…

Disclaimer: Don't own the _Walking Dead_, but if I did, oh the things I could do…

A/N2: Oh, I got a very amusing review; check it out.

Chapter Twenty-Four: Wandering

_Each time the tree swayed – I was a good fifteen feet up and the branches weren't quite as steady as I would have liked them to be – I clung to the branch, a mini heart attack striking me. I didn't think I could survive a drop like that, especially into the small hoard at the base of the tree. _

_Too exhausted to fight it, I found myself drifting off tentatively to the hoots of owls and the growls of the walkers below. _

~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~

Daryl, his hands covered in blood and gore, trudged forward, following Rick cautiously; things didn't scare him, but he was a little wary of Carol's reaction to the fact that they didn't have her daughter with them.

Twelve years old in a forest full of walkers?

He'd be pissed, too.

Oh, wait; he was…

But he was realistic, as well. He knew that there was no way in hell he could do any tracking in the dark; they'd be going in circles, especially since they didn't have very good flashlights with them. They'd all be stumbling over themselves, trying to find Kit and Sophia in the dark.

Jaw clenching, he climbed easily over the guard rail and stalked warily toward the group. The minute Carol saw that they didn't have the girl, she collapsed into Lori's arms, sobbing and cooing her daughter's name.

His hard, blue eyes shifted toward the RV, where Kit's kids were standing in an anxious little group; a subtle shake of his head had Riley's chin quivering and her arms snaking around the boy, who looked about ready to keel over.

"You didn't find her?" Carol sobbed, a trembling hand to her mouth, tears pouring from her eyes.

Daryl grimaced, rubbing the back of his neck, a slight flush coloring his ears, "We found her tracks. Followed them down to the river. She was with Kit for… most of the time."

"She didn't have her with her the whole time?" Carol inquired, eyes flashing toward the hunter, hurt and betrayal plastered across her face, "she left her alone? She left my baby in the woods?"

The red flush grew stronger, covering the base of his neck, the shell of his ears, and he strode forward, knuckles white on the handle of his crossbow. Stalking forward, his jaw clenched once, twice, his tone dangerously calm, "She left your baby in the woods ta draw those damn walkers off. They were out there, they were followin' yer girl. You know what? Kit _did_ leave Sophia, same reason Rick did. She wanted ta keep her _safe_."

"But she didn't…"

"And now she's in just as much fuckin' danger as Sophia is," Daryl snapped, his shoulders taut, tensed; turning, he stalked away from the group, raking a violent hand through his hair. He could feel the blood coursing through his body, the anger and frustration at not finding Kit overflowing.

"Was that… blood?" Carol muttered, her head down, her eyes shifting bashfully toward Daryl; the hunter turned, his jaw working slightly. His tone came out softer than anyone expected, himself included, "From a walker. We opened him up, checked his stomach."

"Oh God," Carol nearly vomited, clinging to Lori for dear life. What did she expect from him? To let the walkers go without checking them first? That would just be stupid, a waste of time if the walker had… eaten either of them…

"Listen, we're going to go back out as soon as dawn hits," Rick noted, touching Carol's knee, unsurprised when she shirked away from him, "we're going to find them, find them both," he glanced quickly up at Daryl, eyes blazing with determination.

The hunter shifted slightly, inclining his head in gratitude. He needed the cop, as much as he hated to admit it, to give him a hand. Especially if they were looking for both Sophia and Kit… they were going to have to cover a lot of ground if the two had split up again.

"You're leaving her out there?" Carol whimpered, glaring reproachfully at Rick, "in the dark? She's just a little girl… She can't protect herself…"

"She's with Cat," Rick assured her, the lie sounding genuine on his tongue, "and Cat's armed. She can take care of herself, she can take care of your daughter until we find them… They're probably in a tree somewhere, or found a cabin to hide out in for the night…"

A tree?

Daryl wasn't too sure about that; Kit had admitted to him that she'd never climbed a tree before. In a moment's panic, though, he had the feeling that she could probably haul her fine ass up a tree and drag Sophia along with her.

Hadn't she had a dream, though? About falling out of a tree surrounded by walkers? His stomach clenched, a burst of fear flashing through his eyes before being stomped down almost immediately. If he let _anyone_ know that there was an inkling of doubt in him, they would roast him – and probably Rick – alive.

Recalling her dream, though, had him glancing back out over the trees, cursing low under his breath and wishing that they would just come waltzing back to the cars.

It'd make things helluva lot easier, but he knew it was wishful thinking. It wouldn't happen; they would have to go out in the morning and try and find the girls. It would probably take longer than a day, too, knowing Kit's shitty directional skills. Maybe two, maybe three, if they were even alive…

_God damn, they are, ya fuckin' pussy,_ Daryl cursed himself, knuckles white as he strangled his crossbow, _they're gonna be _fine_. That's it. No fuckin' question about it…_

If he questioned himself again, he'd beat his own ass. Or, even better, wait 'til they found Merle again and get him to do it for him. God knows he'd done it when they were kids; he wouldn't deny him that, especially if it meant he was able to let off a little steam…

"Daryl, could you take the perimeter?"

Usually there wasn't a goddamn person that could sneak up on him, but Grimes managed to get the jump on him. He didn't start, didn't flinch or gasp; he simply turned sharply, sending the sheriff's deputy a glower that put his goddamn dad's to shame.

The thinner man didn't back down, though; he simply stared at him for a long, pointed moment. He knew what he was thinking; he had thought his wife and son were dead, right? He went without them for how long?

With a short, stiff nod, he turned, resting his crossbow against his shoulder and stalking away. Nostrils flaring, the dark-haired hunter scowled, hawk eyes shifting over the cars and bodies lining the asphalt.

One car in particular stuck out to him; the door had been flung open on one side, the engine still running and some sucky pop CD blaring. Tucking his crossbow against his cheek, he stalked forward, eyes narrowing as he inspected the interior of the vehicle. No one was in it, so someone had made it out, but they did a shitload of damage before they escaped. The car in front and behind were damaged, as were both ends of the car itself.

Underneath it, he noted with a smirk, was a walker, its head mashed and oozing, its bones broken and exposed.

Nice fuckin' idea.

Hadn't he seen Kit wander off this way before the herd hit? Probably her, then… If she had been sensible enough to do that, he was sure she'd be able to get Sophia out of the woods safely.

Letting out a huffing laugh, he shook his head and continued on, ready to take out any lingering walkers and make the makeshift camp safe.

~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~

"Holy shit!"

It was the second time during the night that I'd almost fallen from my perch; it wasn't that the walkers were strong enough to push the tree down, but that I was a roller. In my sleep, I could wind up on my back, on my side, on my stomach… sometimes I was curled up against Daryl's chest and wound up atop his chest.

A flip-flopper through and through, it wasn't ideal when sitting in a tree trying not to draw the attention of a small hoard of zombies below you.

My heart slowly settled, a hand to my eye as I rubbed the sleep from it. I felt groggier than before, clearing my throat and peering down at the ground below. The walkers still milled, though one or two had wandered off.

A bolt of panic raced through me at the thought of Sophia still being out there, alone in the dark. If those two that wandered off found her…

But no, Rick found her; he had to have. And if he didn't, then it was most certainly Daryl. He could find anything in these woods. Once they found Sophia, they would come looking for me; and maybe by that time, the walkers will have milled off, leaving me alone to myself to climb back down to the ground and return to the group.

Peering through the canopy overhead, I tried to see what the sky looked like. Was it nearing dawn? Maybe; everything was still a little too dark for me to be certain. Hell, it could have been midnight, for all I knew…

_Wish I had some damn coconuts to drop on these bastards,_ I mused dejectedly, lips drawn to one side as I tried to reorganize my cold, tired limbs in a more comfortable position, _why the _hell_ did I leave my crossbow at camp? Why? What the hell is wrong with me? _

Before I could continue with my mini tirade, one of the walkers, a gangly one with half its jaw missing, turned slightly, groaning and tilting his head to one side. If I didn't know any better, I'd say he was listening to something. Whatever he heard caught the rest of the group's attention; they grew excited, their awkward shuffles taking them toward the source of the noise.

Damn.

Once they seemed to be good and distracted, I slowly shifted, wincing at the sudden movement after sitting so stiffly for so long. Making my way down the tree trunk, I retrieved my gun and clicked the safety off.

I _really_ didn't want to shoot it off, especially if the rest of that herd was out there still, but if it was for Sophia or my own self-preservation, I would.

Clicking my teeth together, I debated on calling out for her. Draw the attention of the walkers? It would simultaneously draw the girl's attention, though, and, if I were her, that was what I would want to hear…

"Sophia!"

It sounded blaringly loud in the silence, but it really was no more than a whisper. Repeating the girl's name a time or two again, I bit my lip and eyed the surrounding trees. I didn't see any moving shadows, but my mind could play some nasty tricks on me…

"Sophia, it's me, Cat!" I hissed, my steps slow, cautious; my eyes dropped quickly to the ground, ready to retrieve a massive stick to bash them…

Good. God. Damn. Idea.

Tucking the gun in my waistband, I scoured the darkness for a suitable club. Every now and then, a sound would catch my attention and I ducked low, hand reaching for the weapon at my back.

Still, when no walkers stumbled into view, I continued on with my search; hoping there were no bugs crawling across the thing – I could take down walkers, but I hated creepy-crawlies? – I gathered up a rather hefty stick. It was broad, heavy, but still manageable.

Not bad.

"Sophie? Soph!" I called, lip curling as my heart began to pound in my ears; my anxiousness was getting the best of me. There could be a goddamn walker around any corner… "Honey, I need you to answer me, if you can hear me… I can't find you if you don't say anything…"

Still, I didn't hear a thing.

Fuck.

Trudging listlessly through the darkness, I cradled my weapon against my shoulder, eyes searching the darkness for any sign of Sophia. Hell, Rick or Daryl would be a sight for sore eyes, though I doubted either of them were still out there… It was too dark; I shouldn't have even been out there, but it didn't hurt to hope, right?

Nah, it probably did. It might make Sophia keep wandering around; if the walkers were still out there, they'd find her. If she stayed in a tree or under a bush or something, she'd be safer than me at the moment.

Humming silently under my breath, I wandered through the forest, unaware of my surroundings but ultimately unconcerned. Probably because I was so freaking tired… Walkers come up behind me? Eh, I'd bash his brains out if he didn't catch me off guard. And he probably wouldn't; the only sound I could hear was an owl overhead – their growlings and groanings were kind of recognizable…

Every now and then, I called out for Sophia, but, as usual, there wasn't a single response. Hopefully she was just sleeping, maybe in a cabin or something, chillin' until I found her. Yep, that's what I'd go on thinking until I was told otherwise.

Suddenly, I slipped, the ground giving way beneath me and sending me down a few feet into the stream I'd hit earlier. Landing on my back, I stared blankly up at the treetops, the water soaking into my clothes and my hair.

"Seriously?" I spoke aloud, rolling my eyes and languishing a moment in the surprisingly cold stream. Sighing, I hauled myself out of the water, trudging back to shore and glaring, unimpressed, at my body. My boots were even soaked, my toes shrieking at the frigid temperature.

Well, that sucked.

But I was alive, right?

Right.

Stalking back into the brush, I inhaled sharply, glancing through the trees for anything that looked familiar. I hadn't really been paying attention to where we were when Rick and I were searching for Sophia, so I couldn't be sure which way to go.

It didn't really matter, though; any direction was a shot in the dark – _haha, pun intended_, I snorted derisively – so I glanced at the trail, searching for any sign of broken branches. It could have been from walkers, if something _was_ destroyed, but it also could have been from Rick, myself, or Sophia.

Something caught my eye, though, on the tree. There was just enough moonlight for me to even notice it; jogging toward the tree, I fingered the small arrow etched into the tree. The base of it was deep, deeper than the rest of it, almost like something had imbedded itself into the wood. But then there was a small notch in front of it, directing me on the path.

Smirking, I laughed and thanked God for Daryl's quick thinking.

Patting the tree trunk, I turned in that direction, switching the club to my other arm. I didn't know how far it would be, the road, but at least I was headed in the right direction now. There was a chance I could get there before dawn… that'd be nice… I could use some friendly faces… and some of that water Shane had found in one of the vans that had been on the highway…

Crawling through the underbrush, I called for Sophia again, searching for any sign of the little girl. Maybe she'd returned to the river and saw the arrow. Maybe she was hiding in one of the bushes along the way.

Hell, hopefully she was back with Carol in the RV…

Slowly, almost unnoticeably at first, the ground began to rise. Hadn't I rolled down a…

"Hell yeah, bitch," I muttered, glancing over the walker that I'd gotten myself entangled with; he was good and smooshed, his head flattened, without a single chance of him getting back up to his feet.

I was close.

Peering up through the bushes, I regarded the steep incline of the hill. It wasn't huge, but it certainly wasn't going to be fun to climb, especially sore as I was from the tree.

Hauling ass, I made my way up the hill, grabbing onto branches or roots to boost myself up. Finally, I reached the guard rail, nearly bashing my head on the metal; panting, I flung a shaky leg over it and hit asphalt.

"Hell yeah," I grinned breathlessly, leaning against the rail and glancing back down into the woods. Lord help her if Sophia was still stuck out there; it was pitch black – I could barely see the ground in front of me, let alone a walker if it stumbled upon me…

Now to find the others… this was the highway, and I wasn't sure if they'd moved on… Fear struck me suddenly at the thought that they would have left Sophia and I, before draining away almost immediately.

If Jake, Riley, and Danny didn't keep them from going, Daryl would have drawn the line. No way they would have gone on without finding Sophia and I first… Still, it didn't help me from checking for the gun at my back. If I was alone, a few bullets wouldn't do anything to keep me safe…

Wiping my brow, I ambled through the cars, working my fingers into my hair. In the darkness, it would be hard to tell who was who – I could be a walker, right? – so I stopped to look for something, anything, to keep them from shooting me. I didn't want to go yelling around, drawing attention to myself… so I wandered toward the nearest car – checking all the seats and even beneath it for any walkers – and worked the mirror off of it.

~!~!~!~!~!~!~!

Daryl couldn't sleep. That thought in and of itself made him snort, shaking his head in disgust. Of course he couldn't sleep. But he couldn't go out looking for her either.

Well, he probably _could_. Prob'ly wouldn't _find_ her, but there was nothing stopping him. Prob'ly why he was feeling guilty about laying in the bed of his – their – truck, staring up at the cloudless sky…

"_Psst!_"

Flinging up out of the car, he narrowed his gaze up at Dale, who had perched himself atop the RV with a pair of binoculars and a rifle. He was staring down at the truck, waving wildly at the hunter; for a moment, he thought that maybe another herd was making its way through the cars.

The bow was in his hand before he knew what was happening and he climbed to his feet. Before he could hop out of the bed of the truck, though, Dale snapped his fingers, grinning broadly.

Brow quirked in cautious concern, Daryl jogged toward the RV, climbing up the small ladder at the back of the vehicle and striding toward the older man. Nodding once, he muttered quietly, "What'd you see?"

Dale, chuckling to himself, handed the binoculars to the hunter, shaking his head in disbelief, "Leave it to a girl with no sense of direction to find us in the _dark_."

"The hell?" Daryl tugged the binoculars from his hands, bringing them up to his narrowed, cerulean eyes. He didn't need the old man to point her out; there she was, something reflective in her hand over her head, moving it every now and then to hopefully catch the moonlight.

It had been enough for Dale to pick her out.

Tossing the binoculars to the chuckling man, Daryl quickly descended the ladder, slinging his crossbow over his shoulder. Keeping his eyes open, he stalked, shoulders tensed, jaw clenching, through the winding path.

Fuckin' hell.

!~~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!

"Don't shoot me guys," I sang lightly under my breath, eyes wide as I flicked the mirror one to the left; tilting my head, I tried to see it from an angle that the others would notice it. Was it even working? This kind of shit worked in the daylight, of course, with plenty of sunlight, but the moon was so much dimmer…

Maybe they wouldn't see it.

"I don't wanna be dead," I continued, my tone nervously sing-song, eyes scouring for any sign of the RV. I couldn't see very far in the darkness; if a walker wandered up, I might not even notice. As long as none of them were creeping under the cars…

"I'll be so pissed if something tries to bite me," I growled, my nerves getting the better of me. My heart was pounding in my chest, my ears… I was so close – I could practically _feel_ the others – but that's when they would get you. That's how it always worked in the movies, right? There's four minutes left, so you're gonna survive, right?

M_hmm_…

"Only thing that's gonna try and bite you is me."

The sound of his voice startled me so badly, I nearly dropped the mirror in my hand. Thank God I hadn't shot at him; was it good or bad that my reflexes were a step behind my mind?

Still, a broad grin stretched across my face as I tossed the mirror to the side, watching Daryl stride into view. He had his crossbow over his shoulder, as usual, his darkened gaze nearly black in the dim lighting.

"Is that a promise?" I inquired breathlessly, closing the distance between us quickly and flinging my arms around him. He caught me, hauling me into his chest, into the air. Catching the back of my head in one hand, he drew my face to his, capturing my lips in one of the most passionate kisses I'd ever received.

Working a hand into his hair, I pulled back long enough to grin, "Miss me?"

Letting out a low growl, he nodded once, his smoldering gaze falling on my mouth once more, a fraction of a second before his lips did. Inhaling sharply, I wrapped my legs around his waist, letting out an elated laugh. Relief flooded through me to be back in his arms, to be back with him and the others again. I was safe, at least for the moment, and that was all I needed. Daryl was the reassurance I needed to keep going another day.

Sighing, he tucked his face into the crook of my neck, never once breaking a sweat as he held me, one arm around my back, the other under my ass. His lips molded to my collarbone, another low, spine-tingling growl escaping him, "Fuck, Kit…"

"Right?" I inquired with a sheepish laugh, "who knew I'd jump over a guard rail and spend half the night in a tree?"

He stiffened, withdrawing himself from me just enough to meet my gaze. The expression on his face was a mixture of amusement and wariness, "A tree?"

"Yeah," I grinned, stroking the nape of his neck and flushing slightly under the intensity of his gaze, "turns out it's not that hard when walkers are on your ass…"

"Guess not," he replied, his tone a delicious octave lower, his lips curving upward in a damn alluring manner, nipping at my chin, "if you fell out, I prob'ly woulda beat your ass…"

"I woulda beat my own ass, too," I laughed, pressing my cheek against his and relaxing against his warm, solid chest. I didn't want to ask it, but I had to… "You guys found Sophia, right?"

Again, he tensed, the air leaving his lungs quickly, hesitating long enough for me to freeze; they hadn't found her. And I'd left her out there, too… She was alone in the woods…

"Shit," I licked my lips, peering over my shoulder at the blackened forest, "I shouldn't have left…"

"Bullshit," he nearly barked, squeezing me tightly enough to return my attention to the hunter. He was glowering, his lip curled in agitation, as he pinned me with a fiery glare, "Did you see her? At all?"

"No," I replied, lifting a shoulder and swallowing thickly, "I called for her, but still…"

"Wouldn'ta done you any good, stayin' out there," he retorted tightly, shaking his head and turning. With me still wrapped up in his hold, he began toting me back toward camp, he continued harshly, "She didn't answer you… she coulda gone in the complete opposite direction… and you'd still be stuck in a goddamn tree that you prob'ly woulda fallen out of…"

_I guess…_

"You know it's true, babe." he replied gruffly, pressing his lips to my neck, teeth grazing against flesh. Letting out a soft whine – in protest at being called out, honestly – I threw my head back as he snorted slightly; he gave me a slight jerk, smirking amusedly.

"How's Carol doing?" I inquired, gnawing at my lip and peering over my shoulder. We neared the RV now, I could see Dale waving like a madman, a gun in hand; thank God he wasn't pointing that badboy at me…

"Not great," he replied gruffly, softly; it didn't really surprise me that Sophia's disappearance affected him. Even as thick-skinned as he portrayed himself, he wasn't so callous as to be unaffected by a little girl's disappearance. His smirk had fallen, his lips pursed and eyes cast off to the side.

"Not surprised," I muttered, shaking my head softly; my stomach roiled at the thought of seeing Carol again. Would she want to beat my ass for leaving Sophia in the woods? If I were in her shoes, I'd have me on the ground, fists flying and pounding into my face when I showed up empty-handed.

"She says somethin'…"

"I'll be fine with it," I replied, tapping his cheek lightly, pointedly. I didn't want him saying anything if Carol wanted to berate me or something. She could do what she wanted; I wouldn't stop her.

I _did_ leave her daughter out there…

He caught my gaze once more, unreadable in the darkness, but an excited yelp caught my attention before I could question him. Spinning in his hold, I grinned as Jake ran at me, freeing himself from Shane's hold. Daryl released me, though he was more than reluctant to let me go completely – his hands rested on my hips.

Dropping to my knees, I caught Jake and hugged him tightly. His tears stained my crinkled shirt, but it didn't matter much; stroking his hair, I kissed his cheek and laughed, "What, you didn't like your mini vacation away from me?"

"Nope!" he let out a watery laugh, squeezing me once around the neck, "Daryl said you'd be okay…" Pulling back, he glanced up at the hunter, wiping his running nose with the back of his hand, "Sorry."

"Wasn't nothin'," he replied with a lofty shrug, glancing down at me with the slightest of smirks. He must have caught my surprise, my warm smile stretching across my face. Catching his leg, I nearly upended him as I hugged him from Jake's level.

The others made their way toward us, Carol at the forefront. She had wrapped her arms around herself, rubbing one swiftly, brow pinched upward in fear. A trickle of apprehension ran through me, but I managed to brace myself for the assault as I hauled myself to my feet.

As Dale patted my back, I faced the older woman and touched her shoulder, "Wanna go for a walk?"

Nodding once, she offered me a tearful smile and scratched the back of her neck, stiffly wandering toward the RV. Raising a finger toward the others, I followed her, inhaling sharply and licking my lips, hoping I wouldn't piss myself.

_She_ didn't scare me, but she _was_ a mother without her daughter… I wouldn't put anything past her… She would have the wrath behind her if she wanted to kick my ass…

"Did you see her at all?" she inquired shakily, peering over her shoulder and pressing a trembling hand to her mouth, "at all?"

"I did," I replied, swallowing thickly and leaning against the RV, "I had her with me… There were, like, six, seven walkers after us, though. I didn't… I wanted to lead them away from her. I got lost; when I went back to look for her, she wasn't there…" 

"Why would she stay there in the dark?" she inquired, mildly hostile, though prominently frustrated, "she's a child. She's terrified of the dark… she…," her voice broke, her eyes welling with tears – funny, mine were doing the same thing, "she trusted you…"

If anything, that was like a slap to the face. I could understand her, I really could, but that hurt. I hadn't _wanted_ to leave her… couldn't she see that?

Jaw clenching, I tried to clear the lump from my throat, swiping the tears from my face before she could notice. She did. She didn't care, but she did.

Trying desperately not to cry, I nodded once, jaw working, before turning and patting the RV. At least that didn't judge me… What, did she want me to roll over and let the walkers mow down on me while Sophia ran – and probably would have gotten herself lost just as easily as she did before?

_Sorry I didn't do that for ya, hun… _

"You should get somethin' to eat, Cat."

Glancing up at Rick, I offered him a soft smile, peering quickly at Carol, as though she would continue on with her scolding. She didn't; she turned away from the both of us, her face in her hands, her shoulders trembling slightly.

The sheriff's deputy rested a hand on my shoulder, gently guiding me away from the distraught mother and toward the front of the RV. He retrieved a bottle of water from his pocket, offering it to me before resting his hands on his hips. Studying me, he bit his lip, eyes on the ground in embarrassment, "I'm sorry. I'm sorry we got split up…"

"We had to do it, Rick," I muttered, cursing myself for the way my voice squeaked; blaming it on the fact that I hadn't had anything to drink in the last twelve hours, I took a healthy swig from the bottle, "you know that…"

He sighed heavily, raking a hand through his hair and frowning, "I know…"

Peering over his shoulder, I watched as Lori and Daryl watched on, eyeing us both warily. Well, Daryl was scowling at Rick, as though he was about to throw me over his shoulder, tote me off to the RV, and give me a nice, long screw. Lori was looking at me the same way…

_Couldn't lift him over my shoulder if I wanted to_, I offered her an unimpressed frown before shifting my smile to Rick, "We'll find her tomorrow. Don't worry."

He returned his attention to me, brow furrowed low over his eyes in surprise, in confusion, before he let out a disbelieving laugh, "Yeah, yeah we will. And," his tone dropped, eyes cutting over to Carol, "I know what she said hurt you…"

"It's fine," I waved it off, licking my lips as the lump returned, "I deserved it."

Before he could retort, the others wandered forward, Riley giving me a tight hug. Danny ruffled my hair as Rick took a step back, returning to Lori and Carl, giving his wife a warm kiss. Shane gave me a kiss on the cheek – Daryl growled at that, but said nothing else – as Andrea laughed and squeezed my arm.

Laughing slightly, I couldn't help the hollow feeling well up inside me, even as T-Dog lifted me with one arm and spun me around. It was bittersweet to return to our makeshift camp; I was safe, but Sophia was still out there.

As the crowd dispersed, Daryl caught my arm with a gentle, calloused hand. He tugged me into his side, his face burrowed in my hair, his hand straying down to my hip. Wrapping an arm around his stomach, I sighed, nuzzling my face into his chest.

Sweeping an arm under my legs, he hoisted me into the bed of his – our – truck and climbed in after me. While I would have loved a heated reunion – and I'm sure he would have too – he seemed to realize how upset I was and stared down at me as I curled onto my side.

Dropping himself beside me on the sleeping bag, he wrapped himself around me, his knees tucked behind mine, his arm wrapped around my waist. Kissing the nape of my neck, he muttered quietly, "Get some sleep, Kit. We'll find her tomorrow."

With his soft reassurances and the feel of his mouth slowly, gently, trailing along my skin, I fell into an uneasy sleep, praying that I wouldn't dream of Sophia.

~!~!~!~!~!~

So she's back! And still no Sophia =/ boooo! But let me know what you think; also, I'll put up a poll about finding Sophia… Also, if you want to follow me on Twitter, check out Tish Whistleford! That's my name on there hahah =D I have an awesome pic of Norman Reedus I drew posted there haha

Cocoa85715: Thanks! Yeah, sorry about that haha… I know, I didn't want to have her just find her and be like, woo let's keep going now… I didn't know how to work the farm into it, though I'm sure I could've come up with something lol. I may have her get found, I haven't decided yet! I'm gonna do a poll for it, see what people think. It was crazy! What do you think of the Governor?

Leyshla Gisel: haha yeah, I would do the same! These episodes are so good, I can't believe how intense they are! Ew, yeah, that was gross; did _not_ wanna see that happen lol

Mikki18: Thanks haha!

6747: hahaha

Dalonega Noquisi: That's sooo awesome! That was so funny haha that's total Daryl! I want to have a conversationnn with hiiiim!

Rainstormlove: Thanks! I'm so glad you think so! Oh man, that was ridiculous! So glad he survive though!

JTellersOldLady: Woo thanks!

LovelySpecter: Thank ya! I know, it makes me sadddd! Aw, yeah, it's getting intense!

xXx Tinkies xXx: Thank ya! So glad you're liking it; I love this show!

Dragoness0420: Haha well thankies! I'm excited you're enjoying it! I didn't realize it was so intense haha. But thank you!

Loquaciouslethality: aw thanks! I try! I really want to be an actual author; I've got a few ebooks out for sale, but I'll never abandon this story!


	28. The Hunt

Author's Note: So. I have no words for the last episode. It was just beyond amazing. My mouth was hanging open the entire time… Literally.

Disclaimer: I don't own the Walking Dead, but there are numerous things I could – and would – do if I did… namely to our lovely Daryl… ;P

A/N 2: So, I don't write sex scenes. I always feel like they're gonna come off as cheesy or, worse yet, an embarrassing failure. I did what I could, what I felt comfortable with; I'm sure you all can fill in the blanks where need be ;)

Chapter Twenty-Five: The Hunt

_Dropping himself beside me on the sleeping bag, he wrapped himself around me, his knees tucked behind mine, his arm wrapped around my waist. Kissing the nape of my neck, he muttered quietly, "Get some sleep, Kit. We'll find her tomorrow."_

_With his soft reassurances and the feel of his mouth slowly, gently, trailing along my skin, I fell into an uneasy sleep, praying that I wouldn't dream of Sophia._

Flinging up in the back of the truck, I pressed a hand to my mouth to muffle my shriek. Tears trailed down my cheeks, a muffled sob escaping me. My limbs trembled as I lifted a shaky hand and raked it through my hair.

What a _fucking_ nightmare. I had to reassure myself that it had all been just a dream. Sophia hadn't been hunted down by a pack of walkers and torn limb from limb. She hadn't. She hadn't screamed and sobbed, calling for Rick, calling for her mother. For me. Carol's words echoed through my mind, but it was Sophia who had said it.

_I trusted you. _

A large, rough hand found its way beneath my shirt in the early morning light, slowly stroking my spine. I didn't want to turn and look at him, didn't want him to see the terror on my face, or the tears. He thought she was alive; he'd think I was a little bitch for believing otherwise.

"It didn't happen, Kit," he muttered, his voice rough, gravelly with sleep, his nails running lightly over my skin, "she's alright."

"She _trusted_ me, Daryl," I practically squeaked, running a hand along my nose, feeling like an utter mess, "if she dies, it's on my hands."

He shifted then, hauling himself up beside me. Drawing up a leg, he rested his forearm on his knee, rubbing the sleep from his eyes with his free hand. Sighing, he dropped his face, his forehead pressed against my bicep, "Hard as it is to believe, it's not… It ain't your fault an' you know it…"

The bright blue of Sophia's shirt was marred with blood, the fabric torn as the hands grabbed, clawed. They ripped her _skin_ from her body before she even had a chance to flee. She screamed as they tore her hair from her head, gaunt, ghoulish faces looming, surrounding her. She couldn't scurry through their legs; there were too many of them.

"Kit."

Breaking out of my reverie, I chanced a glance at him; he was staring up at me, his darkened, cerulean eyes tired but alert. His lips pursed in a thin, disconcerted line, he grimaced, hesitantly lacing his fingers through mine. That small gesture had me calming some, my thudding heart easing up a bit. It was sweet, a trait he didn't really like displaying; squeezing his fingers, I knew I couldn't have been in better hands, really.

"It ain't _anyone's_ fault that she went missin'," he assured me forcefully, "this world is shitty as hell, Kit, an' life ain't fair anymore… To be honest, kids aren't fit fer this kinda life…"

"None of us are," I muttered, offering him a watery smile, "except maybe you…"

He huffed, shooting me a lopsided grin before dropping his gaze once again. The smile fell, his tone barely audible as he patted the knife that I knew was tucked in his boot, "Yeah, well, Merle taught me pretty well."

"Do you think he's alive?" I inquired seriously, clearing my throat and thanking the Lord my tears were subsiding. I needed to get my mind off of Sophia, I really did. I mean, clearly she was still out there, but it was just a dream. A friggin' _dream_.

She'd be fine.

He was silent for a moment, eyes searching the truck bed; touching his arm, I stroked an old scar, probably from a fight with his brother, and muttered, "Honestly. Do you?"

Slowly, he nodded, his dark eyes drifting up to meet mine; there was a stalwart conviction to his tone, a seriousness that had my doubts about Sophia slipping away, "Yeah. I do. He's a tough son of a bitch. I know he's still out there. Just as much as I know that little girl's still out there."

"Maybe he found her," I lifted a shoulder, a small smile slipping onto my face, "he's a douche – no offense -," he simply snorted, making no move to contradict me, "but he wouldn't let her keep wandering around, would he?"

"Merle ain't much for kids, but no, I don't think he would," he replied, shifting closer to me and resting his chin on my shoulder, his scruff tickling my cheek as he muttered, "bet she'd rather take her chances with the walkers, though, than him. 'Specially if he's missin' a hand…"

"Oh, God, do you still have that thing?" I inquired suddenly, glancing over my shoulder at his backpack. It was tucked in the corner of the bed, innocent and grimy, and, possibly, holding a decaying hand.

He chuckled, a quick, fleeting thing, but it was enough to bring a smile to my face – I wished I could see him like that more often; he looked friggin' amazing when he smiled. Shaking his head, he soothed my fears and muttered, "Nah. Carried it around for a while, but figured there was no way to put it back on when we found him. No use for it, right?"

"Could've used it as a distraction, though," I smirked, pressing my lips to his cheek and earning a curious, smoldering glance in response, "throw it out one way and the walkers'd go running after it. Then we could just mosey off some other direction."

He laughed aloud, leaning back and regarding me amusedly, the corner of his lovely, alluring mouth twitching upward, "What, like a goddamn grenade?"

"A goddamn grenade that they'd want to _eat_," I pointed out, resting my forehead against his and relaxing, stretching my arm across his stomach and nestling closer to him, "I don't think Merle'd care if we lost it that way. It'd save your ass; that's all that would matter…"

"And yours," Daryl noted, catching my gaze once more, though he seemed less amused than he sounded, "always was tryin' ta get inta your pants."

"Wouldn't he shit himself, finding out you beat him there?" I laughed, tilting my head to one side as his gaze dropped to my mouth.

He always had a strange look on his face when it came to my lips. A cross between sweet and predatory, I'd have to say; I think they were his favorite thing about me, physically anyway (besides my ass… he _loved_ my ass). It made my heart pound, the glint that overcame his normally hard, cerulean gaze; I knew he'd follow up with a breathtaking kiss, his tongue tracing them, demanding the entrance he _knew_ I'd give.

"I didn't get to welcome you back proper," he leaned in, eyes flicking up to meet mine as he quickly closed the distance between us. His hand, dirty and grubby (but, let's be honest, who the _hell_ cared?), cupped my jaw, giving him better access to my mouth. His tongue, warm and soft, traced along the roof of my mouth, a soft growl escaping him as I turned my body toward him.

Immediately, he drew me into his chest, his free hand trailing up beneath my shirt, already finding the clasp of my bra. And suddenly, it was just him. No walkers, no apocalypse, nothing but Daryl Dixon and, at that moment, that was all I needed.

He broke away from me just long enough to tug my shirt over my head and place a massive palm on my stomach. Easing me back against the torn sleeping bag, he made to reclaim my mouth. I stopped him, though, a hand literally to his face to keep him at bay.

His lip curled, a questioning frown overtaking him, before I gestured to his own soiled shirt, "That's gotta go."

He smirked, a dark, dangerous, mind-blowingly sexy thing, mind you, and tugged the offending garment over his head. Tossing it haphazardly toward his handless backpack, he slung a leg over me, his arms braced on either side of my head. His breath had quickened, matching my own, as he stared down at me, a tumult of emotions blazing through his sparkling eyes.

I watched him, waited for him to make his move, immediately taking note of his arousal with a warm, sweeping chill. I needed this. I needed him. All of him; not just his body, though I'd never complain about that. His love, his protection, his calm, cool demeanor in the face of all the shit we had to deal with on a daily basis.

"Next time you go runnin' off, tell me," he muttered, low, demanding, as he slowly – achingly slowly, if you asked me – closed what little distance remained between us. His face dipped below mine, his mouth seeking out my neck, his nose brushing along the column of my throat. "Got me?"

Humming, I reached up, running a gentle hand along the back of his neck. I could feel the chain from the necklace I had given him; he still wore it, every day, every night. I could feel the cold steel against my chest even now, though his hot, open-mouthed kisses were _far_ more distracting than that.

I felt safe, right, with the comforting warmth of his body draped over mine. One knee rested between my thighs, one hand straying into my short, dark hair. I could feel his heart as his chest brushed against mine, strong and steady, a silent promise that, as long as it still beat, he would be there, protecting me. And, of course, his manhood, hard as a friggin' rock, dug, not at all unpleasantly, against my stomach, my body warming, quivering, in response.

Retracting my hand, the one that had been drawing slow, lazy circles along the small of his back, just above the hem of his jeans, I pressed it to his cheek, forcing him to look up at me. Kissing the distinctive mole just to the left of his mouth, I offered him a crooked grin, "I love you, Daryl."

He stiffened, though I knew it wasn't in disgust or fear, his eyes taking on a whole new glint, feral and smoldering. His jaw clenched once, twice, before he lowered his mouth to mine. He kept them a hair's breadth away, though, much to my frustration, his warm breath sweeping over me as he muttered, "That so?"

Nodding once, I fought the urge to close my eyes, wanting to witness the gloriously dangerous look on his face. Still teasing me, he ran a hand along my bare side, tucking it between us and working open the button to my jeans, "I love you, too, babe."

He slammed his mouth against mine, easily popping the button open and quickly undoing the zipper. Who said men couldn't multitask? While giving me a mind-blowing kiss, he simultaneously eased the rest of my clothes off.

I was completely underdressed in less than a minute, pouting up at him as he smirked and stroked my thigh. My face flushed, my blood boiling, I shook my head, "I hate you, Daryl…"

Squeezing my ass, he quirked a brow, smirking and cocking his head to one side, "Somethin' tells me otherwise…"

Growling, I grabbed the sleeping bag over my shoulder, tugging it with me as I flipped the pair of us over. The only way I'd even accomplished that feat was because he was so good at reading me; he rolled, hands behind his head as I worked his pants down his legs.

The early morning light barely penetrated the sleeping bag, a little tent for the pair of us, sheltering us from the horrors of the world outside. Straddling his waist, I sought out his mouth, my hands working through his thick, soft hair. His hands stretched low across my back, gathering my ass and pressing me into him, his tongue, his legs, entangling with mine.

My heart and mind raced, my senses engulfed by the man beneath me, my body humming at every touch, every noise he made. No part of me went unexplored that morning, and the same could be said for him. His name seemed to be the only thing I could mutter as we moved, slow and steady, as one in the bed of our truck. He met my every move, anticipated my every need, his mouth never once leaving mine, my body. More than once we locked eyes, everything we needed to say being expressed but never spoken.

And, as we lay on our sides, his arm wrapped around my chest, his hand slowly drawing circles along my skin, we stared out at the slowly rising sun. It was another day in this godforsaken world, but I was glad for it. His face burrowed in my hair, his lips molding to the nape of my neck, I knew I'd be alright, no matter what happened.

~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!

"Damn it… Cat, wake up…"

_If that was all a dream and I'm still up in that fucking tree…,_ I moaned, throwing a hand over my eyes, _I will kill myself. I will fucking kill myself…_

While Daryl and I had made love before, that was… that was friggin' incredible. And if it was a dream…

"You need to put some clothes on before Carl comes over here!"

"Glenn?" I muttered, my tone groggy as I rolled onto my side, cracking an eye open at the tall, thin Asian. Well hell, he hadn't been in the tree… Peering down at myself, I nearly shrieked; instead settling for an 'oh, _fuck_!', I drew the sleeping bag over my body, my face beet red as I returned my mortified attention to Glenn.

He was staring anywhere but me, his pale face equally pink, wringing his hat tightly in his hands. Bet he had the shock of his life, wandering over to wake Daryl and I up, only to find me naked as a friggin' jaybird, the blanket tangled around my legs.

My hunter started at that, flinging himself up as he reached for his crossbow. His hair stuck out in every direction, his eyes no more than tired slits, as he scowled ferociously down at Glenn. He regarded me, my face burrowed in the sleeping bag, before pinning the ex-pizza boy with a monstrous glower, "You better fuckin' run."

He needed no more encouragement to dart off around the truck, disappearing from sight. I could hear him mutter swiftly, awkwardly, to someone not to head our way.

_Well thanks a million, Glenn_, I rolled my eyes upward, slowly peering up from my knees, _way to tell _everyone in the fucking world_ that you caught us…_

Daryl ran a hand along my bare back, looking me over cautiously, "What'd he see?"

"If he's never seen a naked woman before, he has now," I replied, letting out a groan and reaching for my bra, "God, I _knew_ this was gonna happen…"

"I'll beat his ass," he offered, kissing my shoulder as I scoured the truck bed for my underwear. They had to be somewhere, right? Cursing, I tugged my shirt over my head and poked him hard, "It's my fault anyway… where's my…"

"Lookin' for these?"

If Daryl's protectiveness didn't force him to grow enraged at the thought of another man handling my panties, he probably would have laughed at the horror on my face. Shane held the silky things between two fingers, holding them proudly in the air, a shit-eating grin on his face, "Might need these."

Daryl, to spare me anymore embarrassment and to take out his irritation on someone, reached over the truck bed, grabbing him by the collar of his shirt, and slammed him into the side of the truck, "Hand 'em over."

The ex-sheriff's deputy, instead of causing trouble, laughed and tossed them to me; grumbling under my breath, I ducked beneath the sleeping bag and slipped them on, "Not like none of us didn't know what you were doin' anyway…"

"Yeah, well whoopdee-friggin-doo," I growled, escaping from my cocoon now fully dressed. Swiping my bangs from my face, I scowled down at the deputy, "What time are we going?"

He smirked, sending Daryl a pointed glance – the hunter reluctantly let him go, opting to slip his jeans on instead – before lifting a shoulder, "Gonna eat somethin' and the head out. The sooner we start, the sooner we find her."

Nodding, I eyed him anxiously until he chuckled and backed off, hands stuffed in his pockets, whistling to himself. Just when I thought we were clear, he announced, clapping his hands together, "All clear."

"You can beat his ass," I muttered, tugging my boots on and sighing. Staring out over the treetops along the highway, I could only assume it was around seven-thirty, maybe eight. The sun was up, but only just, the sky a bright, promising blue.

"First chance I get," Daryl assured me, rising to his feet and stretching his arms over his head. Surveying the sky, he nodded once, squinting against the sun, "We'll find her today. Weather's good; I can track her easier."

"Good," I grinned despite my embarrassment, slipping out of the bed of the truck, delightfully sore with a few more hickeys than I'd thought. He followed, jumping out of the truck and gathering up his crossbow. He didn't go anywhere without that damn thing.

Speaking of…

"Hey, Daryl, where's my bow?" I questioned curiously, tucking my S&W in my belt.

"Betcha were thinkin' that yesterday," he replied, yanking the rusty truck's door open and leaning across the driver's seat. I didn't mind; it gave me a chance to ogle his ass and his taut, muscular arms.

A beautiful, beautiful sight…

"Indeed I was," I replied, graciously accepting the crossbow as he held it out to me, "woulda solved all our problems…"

"You should start carryin' around a knife, too," he noted casually, jerking his head toward the RV where everyone else began congregating, "or somethin'. Axe, maybe."

"Where are we gonna get an axe?" I queried, an incredulous laugh escaping me as we reached the others, "it's not like all these people were woodsmen or something…"

"What, you want an axe?" Rick inquired suddenly, peering over at the two of us with the mildest of grins on his face. While everyone else studiously avoided glancing in our direction – either they were too embarrassed or were about to burst into laughter – he simply took it all in stride. We were only human, right?

And hadn't he done the same thing when he had been reunited with Lori?

"Maybe not an _axe_!" I exclaimed, rubbing my arms self-consciously, "what do you people think I am? A body builder?"

He chuckled to himself, searching through what looked like a vast array of handheld weapons, shock weapons if we wanted to get technical. They were all something that would require hand-to-hand combat; nothing that could launch projectiles, like a gun or a crossbow. Brute strength and a will to survive were required for this kind of piece.

"How about this?" he questioned, holding up a short, broad knife. By short, I meant not quite a machete, but hell if it was less than a foot long. I regarded it warily, wondering where in the _hell_ I was gonna stick it, but accepted it nonetheless.

"Thanks," I muttered, offering him an awkward smile. Much to my relief, he handed me a sheath to go with it, one that strapped around something. Probably my leg, if I had to guess; I'd ask Daryl when he wasn't too busy stuffing his face with an energy bar.

"Hey Cat, can I come with you guys?" Jake inquired suddenly, flinging himself around my torso; I had to hold the knife high over his head in order to keep from _stabbing _him. Crazy kid.

Still, I ruffled his hair, accepting a water bottle from Dale with a soft thank you. I warred with myself before answering, but I knew it was right, "Yeah. Just stick with us, okay?"

"Cat, I don't think that's such a good idea," Lori noted, her tone low as she offered Jake a sympathetic smile, "he's just a boy…"

"Well, if he wants to go, I won't stop him," I replied, hooking a finger around his chin and forcing him to look at me. Patting his head, I glanced at Rick, "Maybe there's something in there for him?"

Rick glanced between Jake and I, contemplating the request, before raising his hands in surrender, "We might have somethin'."

"Rick," Lori frowned, glancing swiftly at Carl. Clearly, she didn't want anyone under the age of thirteen wielding a weapon. Well boo-hoo for her; I wanted my brother to be armed. He was gonna be armed.

"If they don't got nothin', I do," Daryl noted suddenly, offering Jake a small, manly nod; one the boy was only too eager to return, "everyone should have somethin' in a shit storm like this…"

"What's the plan, though?" T-Dog queried, his forehead covered in sweat, wincing as he cradled his arm and leaned against the RV. He did _not_ look good; what the hell happened to him? What did I miss when I was out there looking for Sophia? Cuz the blood seeping through the bandages on his arm wasn't from a bitty scratch…

Everyone glanced at Rick, including my hunter, which was surprising in and of itself. Last I knew he didn't particularly like the sheriff's deputy…

He fisted his hands on his hips, glancing at the ground and nodding to himself, "We're gonna start from the creek. We followed the girls' tracks yesterday up to a certain point. We stick together but spread wide, make a line, like they do for search parties. We'll go as far as we can, leave ourselves markers like Daryl did for Cat and Sophia."

Shane nodded once, retrieving his shotgun from against the RV and resting it against his shoulder, "Alright, let's move out."

"What if she comes back?" Carol inquired, clinging to the bag strapped across her chest and glancing fearfully between the men, "what if she comes back and we're not here?"

Rick glanced at Dale, who nodded once and assured the mother, "I'll be here. I still have to fix the radiator anyway…"

"T-Dog, if you could stay, too, in case things get ugly…," Rick suggested, patting the burly man on the shoulder before turning to Lori, catching her arm and leading her away from the group, Carl in toe.

I _really _didn't like the way Shane eyed the trio as they moved, his focus never straying too far from Lori. Maybe they were more than just, for lack of a better term, fuck buddies. Maybe the sorry son of a bitch actually had feelings for her… I mean, it was probably hard not to get attached after months of screwing around in the woods…

"Here, little man."

Turning, I watched Daryl hand off a very menacing looking knife to my brother. A tremor of fear quaked through me as I watched the young boy examine the weapon with an eager grin on his face. What if he gouged his eye out or something?

Patting Jake's shoulder, I turned him around, eyeing him seriously, "Be careful with that, okay? It's not a toy. If a walker's coming at you, you need to get it in the head, you hear me? The head or they'll just keep coming."

"Well you'll shoot it before it can even get to me," Jake shook his head, rolling his eyes as though it were the most obvious thing in the world, "you or Daryl. So I'll be fine."

"Yeah, but if we get separated…," I pursed my lips, blowing out a long, heavy sigh. Rolling my shoulders, I simply quirked a dangerous brow, informing him solemnly, "Just keep that in mind, okay? The head. That's all you gotta do."

Nodding fervently, Jake tucked the knife back into its sheath and darted off to show Danny. The ex-Walmart employee gave the boy a high-five; it didn't escape my notice that Riley was tucked into his side, offering him a small, awkward smile as he ruffled her hair.

It didn't escape Andrea's notice, either.

Glancing quickly at Daryl, who was checking over his crossbow, wiping it down where it needed it, I touched his arm, "I'll be right back, babe."

He followed my gaze, taking stock of Andrea's growing ire and the position my two young friends were in, before nodding and setting the weapon on the hood of the nearest car. He wandered toward Rick, who was passing out bottles of water and extra weapons like a badass version of Santa Claus.

I bypassed Andrea altogether, instead going to the ones who would actually listen to me. I didn't know what the hell I was going to say, seeing as it wasn't really any of my business what the two did in their spare time – as long as it didn't attract walkers – but the blonde who had just lost her sister looked like she wanted to make it her business.

"Hey guys," I muttered, ushering Jake toward Carl, "can I talk to you?"

Riley almost immediately stepped away from Danny, her head dropping as he offered me a warm smile, "What's up, kitkat?"

"Listen," I caught his arm gently, turning them both away from Andrea and keeping my tone low, "I'm not sure if something's going on between you two-" They immediately began protesting, but one look from me silenced them easily, "don't worry; I'm not gonna go blabbing about it or make fun of you. But… it just… hasn't been that long since Amy died and maybe you shouldn't… hang out so much in front of everyone…"

Danny's eyes narrowed, Riley lifting her gaze and pinning me with a frustrated frown, though it was the boy who spoke, "Don't talk about Amy."

"I'm just saying-"

"It's _our_ business what we do, Cat," Danny nearly snarled, earning an uncomfortable flush from the girl beside him, "what? You can just go around screwing Daryl all the time but I can't even _stand_ next to Riley?"

"I'm _just_ saying that there are other people to consider," I hissed, never once backing down from the taller boy, a finger to his chest, "you and Amy were a thing. We all know that. And I know that this crazy shit we go through bonds people together. It does, I get it. I can see that there's something between you two, but Andrea was Amy's _sister_… seeing you just getting over her like this is…"

"Just shut the fuck up, Cat," Danny growled, pushing away from Riley and shoving me hard in the shoulder with his own as he passed. Stumbling, I caught myself, biting my tongue and offering Riley an apologetic frown.

_Count to ten, Cat,_ I muttered, rolling my shoulders and stalking back to the RV. Daryl had watched over the entire discussion carefully and, though he couldn't hear what was being said, it was pretty obvious that it wasn't pleasant. He offered me my backpack, a water bottle tucked into the side pocket. He didn't glance at me, but he kept his tone low, even, "Any more assholes I need to add to my list?"

"Nope," I replied, clicking my tongue and slinging my bag over one shoulder, the crossbow on the other, "he'll get his shit together…"

My hunter strode toward Rick; as I followed, I passed Glenn, who, though still red, was staring at me, eyes wide, mouth agape. Flushing, I grimaced and offered him what I hoped was a threatening frown, "Find something else to think about, Glenn…"

I didn't give him a chance to reply, stalking off after Daryl. Didn't need him catching Glenn ogling me; it'd be the last thing the young Korean ever did…

"C'mon everyone, let's get going," Rick called, already beside the guard rail. Once everyone had congregated, I waved good-bye to Dale and T-Dog, slinging my leg over the metal divider and easing my way down the hillside.

Daryl and Jake flanked me, the boy's steps far more hesitant than the seasoned hunter's. Catching the collar of his shirt, I tugged the hunter closer, muttering, "What the hell happened to T-Dog?"

The smirk on his face had me quirking a curious brow. What the hell did he do?

~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~

Well, after finding out that Daryl had saved the life of the guy who basically signed his brother's death sentence, I couldn't be in a happier. I mean, at least in that respect. There was still no sign of Sophia, but at least I knew my hunter didn't hold grudges. T-Dog was a good guy and that injury surely would have brought on walkers if it wasn't for Daryl's quick thinking. I was about as upset that I'd missed it as he was that he'd missed out on watching me run over a walker's head with a two-door sedan.

We walked side-by-side, Jake a little bit ahead of us, taking up the rear guard position. Shane was ahead of him, having just brushed off Carl like a friggin' jackass, kicking the dirt when he could. Basically throwing a silent tantrum, the sheriff's deputy was just further distancing himself from the group.

I mean, everyone seemed to flock to Rick; he was the leader now, not Shane. And his woman had returned to her husband, her son going with her. There was another blow. He didn't seem very enthused as he searched for Sophia; Daryl, on the other hand, scoured the ground like a hawk, searching for any sign of the little girl.

I didn't know what was going through his mind, but he certainly needed to get his ducks in a row if he didn't want to be ostracized.

Lori then had to explain to Carl why Shane was being a dick to him. It wasn't entirely accurate – I felt the urge to call out in a casual, helpful tone, 'your mom was fucking him and now she stopped; that's why he's being a little brat' – but it did the trick well enough. She peered over her shoulder, probably hoping no one had heard her conversation. Grimacing, she offered the pair of us a rather awkward smile, raking a hand through her long, dark hair before muttering to her son, "Why don't you go walk with Jake?"

Unimpressed with the entire affair, I peered up at Daryl from beneath thick, dark lashes. He caught my gaze, smirking and snorting, giving his head a light shake. Lips pursed, he muttered softly, "Jack rabbits."

Was it my imagination or did Lori stiffen up ahead, her shoulders a little tenser than normal?

Covering my mouth to hold back a snort, I took a step to my left, bumping shoulders – well, he stood quite a bit taller than me, so more like my shoulder, my bicep. He didn't shirk away, not like when we'd first met, and allowed the contact, seemingly as content as I was.

"Daryl!"

His head immediately snapped up, picking Rick out of the group at the forefront; the sheriff's deputy waved him forward, stopping the others in their tracks. Casting me a questioning glance, Daryl waited for my assent before stalking forward, withdrawing his knife from his belt.

Peering around the bright, silent woods, I lifted my crossbow, ready to take out any walkers that stumbled toward us from behind.

"You think she's alive?"

Turning, I gave Andrea a cursory glance, fixing my attention to the path we'd come from, "I do. I know it's a longshot, but I do…"

"Not all of us blame you for coming back," she noted, arms folded across her chest as she stared enviously at my crossbow – apparently, all the guys thought it'd be a good idea for her to go weaponless, seeing as she had tried to take herself out back at the CDC, "I'm glad you did make it, Cat."

"Well, thanks," I replied, offering her a grateful grin; I had the feeling that the comment actually stood for 'thank you for talking to Riley and Danny, even if it means both of them have been giving you death glares since we left'.

"I have no idea what Dixon would do if you didn't," she commented; I followed her gaze to the front of the group, where Carol was tentatively approaching a small campsite. Daryl, Rick, and Shane stood outside of the tent, Daryl with his massive hunting knife poised to strike any walkers that ambled out.

"Was he pissed?" I queried, amusement flashing through my eyes, returning my attention to her, fingers silently crossed that Sophia found refuge in the tent.

"I don't see how that's amusing," she replied dryly, brows high in disbelief, though she was far more amused than she let on, "but yeah, he was pissed as hell. But," she noted, her tone incredibly impressed, "he was so damn sure you would come back. That you'd survive. And you did. So I guess I'm gonna follow his advice and keep thinking Sophia is alive, too."

Well, bet he'd be surprised to hear that… Cuz I sure as hell was… Grinning, though, I nodded once, "That's good advice."

"Sure is," she laughed, gesturing toward the campsite, "should we go see what's happening?"

Nodding, I followed her to where the rest of the group huddled – Danny sent me a frosty glare as I walked by, leading me to remark, "Did it just get colder?" – and crept behind Lori and Carol. The missing girl's mother called out softly, "Sophia, baby? It's Mommy. We're all here; just come on out. You're safe now."

_Great, Carol, just rip my heart out again,_ I grimaced, tears welling up in the corners of my eyes, _thanks for that…_

Rick glanced at Daryl, nodding once; the pair of them crept closer to the tent, my hunter unzipping the opening and slinking inside. Rick and Shane followed quickly, but the only sound we heard was gagging, choking.

Sooo, ether she was in there and she was dead, or it was something else.

Shane looked a little green, as did Rick, but Daryl just looked disgusted. He stepped out, his lip curled as he ran a hand over his nose, "Ain't her. Just some sorry bastard who, what did Jenner call it? Opted out?"

I resisted the urge to look at Andrea – as I'm sure almost everyone else was – and lifted a shoulder, "Well, let's just keep looking. I'm sure this isn't the only place that she could've hid in…"

Lori rubbed Carol's arm sympathetically before patting Carl's head and gesturing for him to follow the rest of us. Daryl shot me a silent glance; I fell in step with him and we returned to our position at the end of the line.

"So Andrea's given you a vote of confidence," I noted, an entertained smile slipping across my face. He glanced down at me, brow furrowed low over his already squinted eyes; the perplexity in his gaze had me laughing, "You made her believe Sophia was still alive yesterday… So go you, you could've been a politician or something…"

He let out a huffing laugh, smirking slightly at the thought, "Hell no… Only way I'd get my point across would be punchin' the other guy in the face."

"Which would get you plenty of votes," I teased, "just think of it… Daryl Dixon for president… kickin' ass, takin' names…"

He simply chuckled, propping his crossbow against his shoulder, his saunter a little more than sexy. Damn, that man had a mean swagger… Maybe if I fell back, just a little, I could get a good ogle his ass again, just a little.

He peered over his shoulder as I did just that, though I played it off as innocently as I could, complete with wide, doe eyes and a chipper smile. He saw through my ruse, though, offering me a dangerous grin; he probably would have done the same thing, though he wouldn't have given a damn if I'd caught _him_…

Before I could utter a word, though, a sharp, clear ringing echoed through the trees. It was incredibly loud, the sound of one or two church bells pealing through the early morning sky. We all looked like meerkats, searching for the source of the noise.

It seemed to be a general consensus, though; it had to be Sophia. And with that thought in our minds, we took off through the underbrush, searching for the church and praying she was inside.

~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~

So, he still hasn't followed me, but it's not for lack of trying haha. I've actually got some cool pictures that I've drawn of him and Andrew Lincoln posted on Twitter, so you guys should follow me. We could talk about Daryl, the Walking Dead, life in general. Come on, friends! Follow meee!

That sounded creepy; so if you choose to ignore it, I understand hahahaha

Loquaciouslethality: ahhhhh thank you! I'm so excited! I really appreciate you buying it :D if you like that one, I have another, but it's only on Kindle and a website called Smashwords right now. Idk where you bought it, but that's there now too :D And I have another, a reaaaally good one, that I'm going to try and send out to publishers again. Aw, that's so sweet that you said that about this fic, too; I work so hard on it – and my original stories – I'm glad it lives up to the show

Leyshla Gisel: Haha was this one better? I know, I felt so bad for Sophia, poor girl. I want to save her, but I think it would ruin the plot line, ya know? Or maybe not… it just wouldn't be as surprising for that part… maybe we could stick someone else in there haha… OH SHIT! I just had an AMAZING idea if I keep Sophia alive… :O Yeah, Carol is annoying; like, I liked her after Ed died, but before they lost Sophia… so very small window haha

FanFicGirl10: Well thanks! I may not, I had a brilliant idea lol

Dalonega Noquisi: Woohoo! I'm glad she's back. I don't know what to do; I had a cool idea for if she is alive, but I may stick with the plot…

xXx Tinkies xXx: Thank ya! Yeah, I was so glad she made it back, though it was kind of fun to write in a third person POV for Daryl… That would be cool! I may do that! Who knows haha; I don't even know… I just go with the flow

DeviantDames: hmm, was this any better? Hahaha

NymphNaji: right!

KillerKadoogan: Aw well thank you! I was worried it would come out as cheesy, but I'm glad you think it was realistic. I would feel horrible if I were Kit, but Carol just makes me so sad at this point!

LiveLoveImagine: yayy! I know, poor little girl… I haven't decided what to do; so far I've kept the plot the same, but I may switch it up. I'll post a poll and we'll see!

Mai: aw thank you! I'm so glad you think so! I have some ebooks out if ya like my style, but it's up to you if you want to check 'em out lol. No pressure or anything lol

Cocoa85715: Thankies! Yeah, I can understand why she felt that way. I like how I had Daryl put it; it was just an accident in a shitty world lol. I may do that! Vote in the poll I post about it! Yeah, he was creepy as hell… that's a good idea; might just be right!

Punkrockpancake: yesss! I know, I can't even imagine what it would be like! Aww, I love concerned Daryl… sweet and sexy at the same time!

FormofJane: hahahahaha yes!


	29. The Search

Author's Note: Hello, all! Still hanging in out there? I've been trying to get myself published, gah! Very difficult endeavor, if you've never done it before. But I'm still working on it! I hope everyone's having a nice week; how're you liking the Walking Dead? I both hate and love Sundays; a new episode is on, but then I have to wait another week :/

Disclaimer: I don't own _the Walking Dead_. I wish I did, but alas… I _do_ own Kit and her kids though :P

Chapter Twenty-Six: The Search

_Before I could utter a word, though, a sharp, clear ringing echoed through the trees. It was incredibly loud, the sound of one or two church bells pealing through the early morning sky. We all looked like meerkats, searching for the source of the noise. _

_It seemed to be a general consensus, though; it had to be Sophia. And with that thought in our minds, we took off through the underbrush, searching for the church and praying she was inside. _

There was a good five minutes where no one said a word, dashing through the trees and over the logs. I tried my best to do four things at once: run without falling, keep an eye out for any walkers, watch my brother and Carl, and spot the church with the blaring bells. It wasn't easy, but I managed to do at least three.

I still couldn't find the church.

Daryl, Rick, and Shane had taken off ahead of us all; obviously the sheriff's deputies were in shape, but my hunter held his own, even overtaking Shane at one point. His arms pumping, I found myself focusing on his muscular biceps, a thin sheen of sweat coating them from the hot, Georgia sun.

It was kinda sexy…

Aaand I almost tripped over a log. _Way to go, Daryl; distract me and make me faceplant in the forest… _

Finally, though, the trees began thinning out and I could see a small, white building. The ringing had grown louder; it was obviously a little church, though what it was doing out in the middle of nowhere, I couldn't say. I mean, as far as I knew, we were kind of out of the way, somewhere between Atlanta and Fort Benning, I think…

"C'mon!" Rick exclaimed, waving us forward and bursting from the forest. We weren't far behind, except maybe Carol, and finally I could see the church fully. It was a tiny thing, probably for a congregation no more than thirty, thirty-five people, but the graveyard was sizeable. There was no fence around the headstones and I felt mildly guilty for racing around them.

More than one person was calling for her, the poor, lost girl; she wasn't standing outside, yanking on the cord of some massive, Notre-Dame-esque bell.

Hell, there wasn't even a bell on the building; it was clearly coming from this building, though, so what was happening?

I couldn't be bothered with that little detail, though, trying desperately to dodge withered, potted plants and aged stones. Hoping I didn't step on anyone's last remembrance, I leapt over a rather tall tombstone and made for the steps. Someone called out for me; skidding to a halt, I found myself on the top steps, crossbow in hand.

I didn't want to wait, breathlessly staring at the worn, wooden door; I wanted to dive inside and find Sophia curled up beneath a pew.

"Where's that coming from?!" Shane bellowed, his shotgun grasped tightly in his large hands, a sneer on his face as he scoured the open clearing around the church for any sign of Sophia or roving walkers.

Suddenly, the ringing was cut short; leaping down the steps, I wove around to the side of the church, where Rick and Daryl had surrounded Glenn. He slammed shut a small, metal box and sighed breathlessly, "It's a timer. It's on a timer…"

"Shit," Daryl growled, nostrils flaring; his already squinted eyes narrowed further and he glowered at the forest. He was panting heavily; I didn't know if it was from running for the last ten minutes or if his hopes of finding Sophia were dashed.

"That doesn't mean she didn't set it off from inside," Rick assured us all; he patted Daryl's shoulder as he passed – the hunter shrugged him off, pinning the deputy with a murderous scowl – and gave me a warm, almost anxious smile.

Nodding tersely, I allowed him to pass me – the more that I thought about it, the thought crossed my mind that maybe I didn't want to be the first one inside. The noise might've drawn walkers – seeing as Shane, Daryl, and Glenn were now glancing nervously around the church – and maybe they'd already been there…

No.

_Nope_.

She was alive. Stepping toward Daryl, I caught his arm, staring up at him with what I was sure was an almost desperate expression, "She's alive."

He nodded once, his jaw clenching as he caught my arm, "She's alive."

Licking my now dry lips, I mimicked his action and pressed a quick kiss to his cheek. He let out a growl, but I didn't stick around to see if it had been because he was irritated I'd kissed him in front of Glenn (who, by the way, still couldn't look at me without blushing) or because I turned him on.

He was hard to read without actually looking at him.

I was up the steps, nearly stepping on Shane's heels as he and Rick stood outside the door. They'd been conferring quietly, glancing back at Carol and Lori every now and then as the murmured between themselves.

"Sooo, what's the plan, man? Uh, men?" I muttered, resting a hand on each man's shoulder, standing on the tips of my toes to peer past them. The crossbow was slung over one shoulder, once I'd gone to see what Glenn had found I didn't need it anymore, but the minute we stepped foot in that church, I wasn't against retrieving it.

Sane shot me a rather incredulous glance – seeing as the other women were hanging back, mingling with the statues and tombstones – but Rick offered me a pretty nonjudgmental glance, for which I was thankful.

I didn't know what was up with Shane lately, but at least I had Rick and Daryl backing me up… Rick muttered softly, "We're goin' inside. At least we'll know…"

Nodding, I stepped to the side as a pair of heavy footsteps jogged up the stairs behind me. Daryl's presence put me at ease almost immediately, his dirty, grimy hand resting on the small of my back, between us, so no one would see the gentle touch. Stepping back, I closed whatever distance remained between us, soaking in his strength.

It kind of worked; Rick readied his weapon, one of the massive knives Carl had found in one of the cars. Shane mimicked him, though his looked more like a hatchet, while Daryl unhooked his crossbow from over his shoulder. Without a word, he took hold of mine, easing it from around my shoulders and into my waiting hands.

Offering him a soft smile – the corner of his mouth twitched upward just enough to know that he was returning the gesture, I took a deep breath and steeled myself for whatever waited for us inside.

Rick seemed to be doing the same; when he was ready, he lifted the knife and kicked the door open. Shane, Daryl, and I flanked him, weapons at the ready, as we stared into the church. Five people sat in the pews, staring straight ahead of them, at a massive, bronze statue of the cross, at Jesus with his arms spread wide.

They turned at the intrusion, though I don't know how the walkers weren't disrupted by the bells. Maybe they were so used to it in their old lives that they weren't bothered by it now?

Whatever the reason, I didn't stop to think about it. I also didn't stop to think that I was being violent in the middle of a church. The walkers made to move and we attacked.

I took on one, an old man in a pair of grayed, bloodied overalls. Half of his face was missing, a gruesome thing that had me nearly doubled over as his eye sagged out of its socket. Thankfully I didn't have to go any further to take it out, like Shane and Rick had; I simply lifted my crossbow and put an arrow through its good eye.

As it dropped to the ground, I shuddered, a bit of bile rising to my throat as the other eye detached and rolled a bit toward me. Turning away, I tried to calm my rolling stomach and fought another rush of chills.

By the time I glanced at the others, I saw that they had easily dispatched their walkers and someone had waved the others inside. Daryl spared a passing glance at Carol, who scanned the church's interior and slumped into the back pew, before yanking his bolt from the walker he'd killed.

He must have felt me watching him, his bright, blue gaze lifting to meet mine and offering me a grimacing glance. I stepped back, away from my walker and toward the window; they were small and narrow, hard to wedge open, but I managed to get it done. The breeze didn't help much, but I wiped a hand over my brow and leaned against the wall.

Staring up at the cross, I felt a soft sigh escape my lips; while I had never been overly religious, I had my beliefs and my fair share of talks with the Big Guy upstairs. I didn't know why this crazy sh… stuff was happening, and I couldn't say I was happy about it, but I supposed I wouldn't question it. Things happened, right? This was probably all part of some bigger plan… I didn't know, but there had to be a purpose…

I just couldn't seem to see it, not through the haze of losing Sophia.

Daryl stalked forward, toward the cross; he gave the figure a long, steady look, "Yo, J.C.; you takin' any requests?"

He dropped his gaze, turning slightly and peering up at me. His lips pursed, he slung his crossbow over his shoulders and strode toward me. He ran his intense gaze over me, his brow furrowing low over his darkened eyes; I could see the concern spiking through them when he finally reached my face. Glancing quickly over his shoulder, he made note of where everyone was, before returning his attention to me.

He took a step closer, the hand closest to the wall reaching for mine; it wasn't the first time he initiated the contact, but it certainly wasn't a usual thing for him. His tone was low, deep, as he queried, "You okay?"

Nodding, I caught his fingers and stroked his palm, glaring accusatorially at the downed walker, my bolt still embedded in its face, "I _hate_ eyes…"

He shot me a puzzled glance, disentangling himself from my hold and approaching the walker. He crouched down – immediately, I turned toward the window, my stomach rolling at the thought – and, a squelch later, he withdrew the bolt from the thing's brain. He returned to my side, wiping down the bolt and offering it to me, "You hate eyes so much, better stop shootin' 'em in the face, Kit."

"Well, it's gotta be the brain…," I muttered moodily, stepping toward him and resting my forehead on his chest. Keeping my tone low, I cast a quick glance toward Carol, who was filtering out of the church with the rest of them, "I thought we'd find her in here. I really did."

"Maybe she heard it, too," he muttered, one had at the small of my back, the other resting on the nape of my neck, his thumb gently stroking the skin there, "coulda been on her way, just like we were."

"And if she didn't, we'll just have to keep looking," I sighed, pressing my lips to his Adam's apple. I lingered there for a moment, trying to deal with the tumult of emotions racing through me. We didn't find her, but we could. She could be crossing through the graveyard as we stood there… and if she wasn't, well…

"Hell yeah," he muttered, giving my waist a light squeeze and cupping my chin with one hand. Tilting my face up to meet his gaze, he gave me a long, steady glance. It was reassuring, to say the least, but his comment had me shooting him an unimpressed grin, "We're in a church, babe."

He glanced around, as though that fact had surprised him, before pinning me with a rather amused glance, "I wasn't the only one kickin' walker ass in here…"

"You're the only one that keeps swearing in here, though," I teased, catching his belt and tugging him toward the door.

"Can't really count those," he replied, a smug smile on his face as we reached the door, "people talk about hell in church all the time…"

"And ass is a donkey, yeah, yeah," I rolled my eyes and jogged down the steps, "just glad you didn't go around sayin' 'shit' and 'fuck' inside…"

"I ain't that shitty," he deadpanned, quirking a brow when I pinned him with an amused grin. A smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth in response before he unzipped my backpack and retrieved the water bottle he'd stashed in there earlier. Taking a long, hearty swig, he offered it to me and glanced at the rest of the group.

I doubted they had plans to leave, not when there was a chance that Sophia could come racing through the woods like we had, but I'd have to talk to Rick first. Before I could comment further, Carol slowly trudged toward the church, glancing up at Daryl before lowering her gaze. He didn't say a word, simply offered me a narrowed glance; she didn't bother acknowledging me – she hadn't since our little talk outside of the RV – and made her way inside.

Licking my lips, I shrugged once, playing off her cold shoulder like it hadn't bothered me. But her words still stung and, as much as I hated to admit it, her action did, too.

Hitching the bag over my shoulder once more, I ran the water bottle over my forehead. It wasn't cold, but it was better than the air around me and if I pretended, I could almost feel the coolness of the water…

"She'll come around," he stated softly, gruffly, before patting my hip and striding toward Rick, Glenn, and Shane.

I followed him, glancing at Lori and Andrea, who had also wandered over. The former was eyeing Shane warily – she really needed to stop doing that or Rick would get suspicious. I didn't know how no one else noticed it, but they could be blind sometimes (except when it came to Daryl and I… then they noticed everything). Andrea was still pouting over the lack of a proper weapon, crazy bitch.

I would be, too…

"We should hang around for a little while," Rick stated, stroking his jaw and eyeing the ground with a soft frown. He had been expecting her to be there – hadn't we all? – and to find the place empty… "She could show up; maybe we could even set off the bells again, just in case…"

"That could bring in walkers," Shane raised his hand, shaking his head furiously and gesturing toward the building, "it musta brought those walkers in…"

"But it could bring Sophia," I protested, brows furrowed low over my eyes, a perplexed, almost cautious frown on my face, "yeah, it's risky, but c'mon…"

"I don't think it's such a good idea, either," Andrea replied, hands on her hips as she glanced between us, a mildly hostile tone to her voice, "we don't all have weapons; if we get overrun, this dinky little place isn't going to help us."

"It's a damn church," Daryl stated, a bit of bite to his tone – if his comment wasn't so poignant, I would've laughed at his poor choice of words, "watch what you're sayin'."

Obviously Andrea found it a little hard to comprehend, too, because she stared at him, mouth agape, and shook her head. Folding her arms across her chest, she stewed silently, staring out over the empty graveyard and taking out her frustration on a pebble.

"Anyway, we can take 'em," Daryl shrugged a shoulder, offering Rick a quick, almost hesitant glance. He was a tough son of a bitch, but he wasn't one for prolonged eye contact (unless, of course, he was pinning someone with a murderous scowl).

It was cute.

"If we have our crossbows and those axes and stuff, we'll be fine," I stated, slinging my backpack around my shoulder to my front and retrieving the massive knife Rick had given me earlier. I hadn't quite figured out how to maneuver it around my thigh and Daryl had been busy getting his shit together to give me a hand.

Lifting it, I wiggled it in his direction, "You wanna give me a hand with this?"

He glanced over it and me, before nodding and peering at the others, "I ain't leavin'. Not until we're sure she's not comin'."

"Whatever you think is best, Rick," Lori nodded once, peering surreptitiously at Shane, who simply growled and rolled his eyes. Stalking off toward the cemetery, he paced, his shoulders taught, his stride quick.

He and Andrea could start a moody club… They could recruit, too; if Andrea could stomach the thought, she could invite Riley and Danny into the fold. They hadn't stopped scowling at me, at least Danny hadn't anyway, and I doubted that it would let up anytime soon.

"C'mon," Daryl muttered, catching my arm and leading me away from the others. It was close enough to the church that I could keep an eye on Jake, where he stood under a tree with Carl, the pair of them comparing the weapons they'd been given.

Ha, give 'em a few years and they'd be comparing the size of something else…

Daryl dropped to his knees before me, shrugging off his own backpack and his crossbow. I eyed him curiously, warmth welling through me as I stared down at him, a rush of pleasant chills racing through me. He lifted his eyes, his hands resting on his thighs, and quirked a brow, a sly smirk stretching across his face.

He must've noticed the perverted glint in my eyes as he knelt before me, because he touched my knee and muttered, "I ain't one for a quickie in a graveyard, Kit…"

"I wasn't… uh…," licking my lips, I shook my head and offered him the knife with a violent shove, my cheeks flaming, "just put this on, asshole…"

He chuckled, accepting the knife and the sheath, inching closer to my lower half. Lips pursed, I peered over his head, trying desperately not to pay attention to him while he was busy attaching that to my damn thigh.

"We're not really in the cemetery, ya know," I muttered, hands clasped behind my neck in an effort to distract myself as his fingers brushed my inner thigh, "just sayin'…"

He laughed once more, amusement glinting in his eyes as he squinted up at me, shaking his head. He finished latching the sheath to my leg, his hand stroking up along my leg as he rose to his feet once more. We were chest to chest now, his hands lingering innocently by his sides.

"You're an asshole, Daryl," I stated, brows high on my forehead as the warm flush returned full force to my face. Flicking his chin, I earned an irritated growl from the hunter before turning and headed toward church once more.

Everyone had kind of filtered off on their own, Lori and Shane lingering a little further in the cemetery; whatever they were talking about, I couldn't hear it. Nor did I want to.

It didn't really matter, though; the closer I got to the church, Lori stepped away from the ex-deputy and hurried inside, nearly plowing me down in the process. Call me superstitious, but I would have muttered 'bitch', if I hadn't been about to enter a sacred place.

Jogging up the steps, I ducked into the church once more and settled myself into the back pew. Rick was up near the altar, leaning against the wall with Carl and Jake, while Lori sat a few rows behind Carol, who lingered at the very front of the church. The kids had less tact than Rick, openly gawking at Carol while the older boy's father stared at the wall, the statue, anything but the silently sobbing woman in the front row.

She was muttering softly to the statue, probably something heart-wrenching and tear-jerking, so I simply lowered my head and tucked a foot beneath my leg. Closing my eyes, I sent up a soft, almost desperate prayer_; let Sophia be safe. Keep us safe. Let Carol get her daughter back. Don't let us lose anyone else…_

In all honesty, I didn't care if Riley and Danny were pissed at me; that was their problem. I just wanted to keep them _alive_. They could hate me all they want, as long as it meant they were alive to actually hate me.

And I would even accept Sophia's hatred, if it meant we found her safe and sound. She could tell me it was all my fault that she'd gotten lost, that she'd spent the night in the forest surrounded my walkers and corpses, as long as she had the capability of doing so.

'I hate you, Kit.'

'Okay, well, I'm glad you're alive.'

Yeah, I was okay with that conversation.

Lori rose suddenly, slipping around the pews and settling herself beside Carol. The woman sniffled, a hand to her lowered face, and took comfort in her friend; it wouldn't do me any good to go up and lend a shoulder. She'd shove it and stalk out of the church, most likely.

My prayers sent, I stood once again and turned, prepared to make for the exit. I shouldn't have been surprised that Daryl was there, standing behind me, his head down and his gaze on me. He didn't bother speaking; he simply nodded toward the door and slipped outside.

I followed him, rubbing a tired hand over my eyes, "What do you think?"

"I think we should prob'ly head back," he replied almost reluctantly, leaning back against the graying aluminum siding, his hands behind his back and his eyes scouring the clearing for any more walkers. We hadn't set off the bells again, but that didn't mean they wouldn't still be coming from earlier. "It's gettin' late; we been out here all day… Everyone's exhausted an' we're gonna lose our light soon."

"Right," I nodded, my eyes drifting toward the only other people in the clearing. Shane and Andrea were having a heated discussion, one that had the tall, buff man shaking his head and the woman fisting her hands on her hips, protesting ferociously. "Wonder what's goin' on with them…"

"I don't know, but I sure as hell don't wanna see any more bare asses," Daryl groaned, leaning his head back against the siding, his face toward the sun.

It really was a lovely sight.

"You don't think they're together, do you?" I queried amusedly, eyes narrowed as I tried to read what was going on between the two of them. Whatever it was, it didn't look good; Shane looked like he was about to bitch-slap the woman, while she seemed frustrated as hell.

Was he too hung up on Lori to pay her mind? It could have been construed that way, if I thought about it…

Well, maybe they were together… What the hell did I know?

"I don't give a crap about who gets it on with who," he stated gruffly, resolutely, before sending a quick glance in my direction, "unless it's you."

"Aw, don't worry," I teased, bumping into his side; he didn't budge, but I bounced back a little. Curse my being so small… "Only person I'm getting it on with is you, ya dirty, redneck bastard."

"Good, ya cocky little bitch," he muttered, reaching out and pinching my ass – an impressive feat, seeing as I was leaning against the wall, "I'd have to kick some ass otherwise…"

"I can't believe you just called me a bitch _and_ pinched my ass in front of a church," I snorted, shaking my head and pushing away from the building.

"You were the one who was thinkin' about sex," he smirked, arms folded tightly across his well sculpted chest.

Lori caught the end of the conversation as she strolled out into the sunlight, her brows high on her forehead as she eyed Daryl and I silently. Grimacing, I shook my head defensively and muttered, "Not what you're thinking…"

She didn't say anything one way or the other – super grateful for that, by the way – and jogged down the steps, Rick hot on her heels with Carl and Jake at the end of their little trail. The deputy shot me a small, amused grin – I'm sure they'd all seen Daryl strapping that thigh holster to me (who wouldn't be thinking the same thing in that situation, honestly?) – before pausing on the steps.

He turned, sighing and fisting his hands on his hips. Without a word, he drifted back into the church, probably hoping for a moment alone.

Well, we wouldn't disrupt him; I caught Daryl's arm and tugged him down the steps. The hunter obviously didn't care what Rick was doing enough to stick around anyway; he gave me a quick glance before wandering off in Glenn's direction. He was hanging near Danny and Riley, though it seemed to be a little awkward for the young Korean. Maybe because he'd been part of the group with Tory and Amy, but now that they were down a few members, he felt like a third wheel?

I didn't know, but he seemed grateful for the distraction Daryl provided.

Wandering over toward Jake and Carl, I dropped myself onto the log between the pair of them. Slinging an arm over each boy's shoulder, I dragged them closer and queried with a slight grin, "What's up, guys?"

"I wish we would've found her," Jake sighed, resting his chin on a fist, his elbow on a thigh, "I thought for sure she was gonna be inside."

"What if we never find her?" Carl inquired, lips drawn to one side as he stared out over the field. He, like the rest of us, was just _hoping_ she would come strolling into sight, a little worse for the wear but without a single bite on her. "She could be out there forever."

"She won't be," I assured the pair of them, injecting a little more oomph into the statement than they were probably expecting, "wanna know why?"

They both regarded me with such innocent, intense looks that I felt mildly bad for giving them too much hope. Still, I didn't want them to give up; if we gave up, there was no hope for any of us.

"Because we've got some damn good people looking for her," I stated assuredly, ruffling the boys' hair, "I mean, you've got two police officers looking for her – they hunt people down all the time…"

"They look for the bad guys," Carl rolled his eyes, though there was a rather proud grin on his face at the fact that his dad was so badass that he could find a missing little girl in the middle of a forest.

"Yeah, well, not all the time," I stated, lifting a shoulder and continuing, "and you've got Daryl; he's a hunter. He does this kind of thing all the time. You know how many rabbits and squirrels he's hunted…"

"So he's hunting Sophia?" Jake inquired, looking relatively unimpressed by the news.

"Sort of," I laughed, cracking my knuckles and waiting for Rick to return from the church, "so you've got three badasses looking for her. We're gonna find her, don't worry."

It seemed to put the boys a little more at ease; they were grinning at least, something that had Lori and Andrea smiling between themselves. Carol just looked sick at the sight, turning away from us all and facing the way we'd come.

Rick emerged moments later, wiping his face with the palm of his hand before raking it through his hair and jogging down the steps. Everyone gathered in then, looking for direction from the poor guy, who looked like he just wanted to take a goddamn nap.

"We have to head back," Shane announced quietly, earning an immediate reaction from Carol at least. She begged, her tone soft, sad, for us to look a little longer. Rick wasn't happy about the announcement either, drawing Shane off to the side and having a short, heated conversation.

What was with everyone today? I realized with Sophia missing, things were tense; we were all worried about her, but good Lord…

When they returned, Rick announced that he and Shane were going to continue on the search for her while the rest of us headed back to the RV. Daryl didn't like the idea of the group splitting up, but Carol seemed resistant to the idea that _everyone_ just give up.

I noticed she didn't offer to go with them.

While I was half-tempted to tag along, I was still exhausted from my night out in the woods. Plus, Daryl kept me up for a good three hours – not that I'd ever complain. But taking a break in the RV sounded nice; and it wasn't like we weren't going to be looking for her on the way back anyway.

So, after Carl decided to tag along without Jake – not that I didn't trust Rick and Shane, but I didn't like him being away from me and a bigger chunk of the group – we parted ways. I gave Rick a one-armed hug and Shane an awkward one – I was just going to pat him on the arm or something, but he went in for the hug before I could escape. Daryl snarled, taking hold of my wrist and tugging me back, away from the deputy, who rolled his eyes upward and offered me a wry grin.

What the _hell_ was going on with him?

I didn't let it bother me, though – when I was sure Daryl wouldn't jump him, I made my way toward Carl; the little boy got a kiss to the forehead, which made him blush and wipe away the 'cooties'.

Back in the forest now, we wandered back toward camp, following the arrows we'd had carved into the tree trunks. Daryl and I hung toward the back of the group, discussing the best ways to kill walkers.

"Why aren't we doing more?" Carol inquired suddenly, her frustration not unexpected, but her tone of voice certainly was. She was loud, shooting a dark scowl over her shoulder that landed directly on me. "How could we not find her? We're not looking hard enough… We're never going to find her if we-"

Daryl cut her off though, stalking forward as everyone came to a hesitant halt, "It's a waste of time, all this hopin' and prayin'… We're gonna find that little girl. And she's gonna be just fine… Good Lord," he glanced at me, "are we the only ones Zen around here?"

"Sounds like it," I replied, clicking my tongue and strolling forward, toward a log and dropping myself onto it. Jake followed my lead, sighing and grabbing a twig, dolefully drawing in the dirt with it.

Lori settled herself beside me, retrieving her water bottle and taking a healthy swig; Andrea took the moment to scowl darkly and mutter, "Looks like someone got a gun…"

I caught Daryl's unimpressed frown from the corner of my eye and fought the urge to snort. He looked about as intimidated by Andrea as everyone else did…

"You want it?" Lori questioned scathingly, holding out the gun Daryl had given her, an irritated frown on her face, "take it. I'm sick and tired of the looks you're all givin' me."

Andrea backed off once confronted, so Lori turned her attention to Carol, who just stared at the embittered woman, "Honey, I can't even imagine what you're going through right now… but you have _got_ to stop blaming it on Rick and Cat. It's written on your face _every time you look at them_. Rick is doin' the best he can; he's doin' the best that anyone could do in this situation. And Cat didn't went to look for her, which is more than most of us can say…"

Carol looked a little more than chagrinned at being called out on it, lowering her gaze to the ground. I, on the other hand, was just surprised that Lori backed me up… weird, right?

"Let's get goin'," Daryl muttered, interrupting the awkward silence with his typical blunt style and stepping over a massive, fallen log, "we still have a lotta ground to cover b'fore we make it back."

~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~

She had been breathless, terrified. After she'd broken away from Cat, she found a little hole in the ground, tucked away and out of sight from walkers. She _really_ didn't want to crawl into it – what if something lived in there? – but she'd rather deal with that than something that would eat her. Maybe a bunny lived in the hole…

She'd lost her toy cat somewhere along the way; she wished she had it with her now. The woods were so scary without it…

But she had made it through the night without anyone; she thought she heard Cat calling for her once or twice, but she was too scared to move. And what if it was just her mind playing tricks on her?

She didn't want to risk it.

Now she was just exhausted. She wandered through the forest, unaware of anything around her. She had no idea how to get back to the RV; she looked for some kind of sign, but she couldn't find anything. Everything looked the same and her feet hurt. She was hungry and tired and really just wanted to find her mom.

A sudden moan caught her attention and she spun around, face to face with a massive, gruesome walker. An ear-splitting scream escaped her as she stumbled to the ground, trying to escape the monster's grasp.

~!~!~!~!~!~!~!

Don't know how I feel about this chapter. I just can't wait to get further into the season. Gah! I have some ideaaaas that may be a little different from how the plot went. But GUESS WHAT? NORMAN'S FOLLOWING ME ON TWITTER! Wooo! :D I fangirled hardcore when he sent me a DM (it was just a thank you but still!)… Anyway, please check out my e-books on Amazon and Barnes and Noble. I'd love it!

And enjoy your Thanksgiving/Black Friday… I have to work on Friday; I'm going to want to kill myself…

Leyshla Gisel: Thank ya! Yeah, it's hard for me to write scenes like that. My mind can think 'em up, but I don't like writing all the details lol. I just feel like it'll be crappy. I like your idea haha; get rid of her for someone better

Punkrockpancake: thanks! Hehe I'm glad you liked it; I was nervous about it! I do too, but sometimes she annoys me lol

Dalonega Noquisi: Thanks! Haha I was hoping they would be… Oh Daryl; it just sounded like something he would say

Cocoa85715: Yeah, it wasn't too much of a lemon but I'm glad you liked it! I was hoping everyone would like it! No, I think he made it up… he's a jackass. I knew it was coming, but it still creeped me out. I want to know how she'll react to his daughter lol

LiveLoveImagine24: Yeah, it's gonna be awesome!

xXx Tinkies xXx: Thanks! Idk what I'm doing with that; I still have the poll up but only one person voted haha. So glad you like it!

Lady Shagging Godiva: Thanks!

Gaby de Braband: Thank you! I'm so glad you're loving it :D I'm so glad you think she seems that way; I wanted her to be believable but not a Mary-Sue or anything! I looove Daryl; glad you're liking how he is in my story. I love writing him haha


	30. The Plan

I do apologize for the delay! Life, you know how it is. Gets in the way of the fun stuff…

Disclaimer: I do not own the Walking Dead. If I did, well, buddy, I'd be a happy lass. I'd own my very own Daryl Dixon :D

Chapter Twenty-Five: The Plan

_Now she was just exhausted. She wandered through the forest, unaware of anything around her. She had no idea how to get back to the RV; she looked for some kind of sign, but she couldn't find anything. Everything looked the same and her feet hurt. She was hungry and tired and really just wanted to find her mom. _

_A sudden moan caught her attention and she spun around, face to face with a massive, gruesome walker. An ear-splitting scream escaped her as she stumbled to the ground, trying to escape the monster's grasp._

The walker reached for her, its decaying, yellow teeth biting at her from its ugly, bloodied mouth. She shuffled backwards, her scrambling hands and feet kicking up leaves and dirt as she went, tears pouring from her eyes, as the thing clawed at her.

As she clambered over an exposed root, the walker's foot caught beneath the thing. Unable to keep itself upright, it toppled to the ground, its dangerous mouth barely missing her exposed legs.

Breathless, Sophia leapt to her feet, dashing into the underbrush, searching desperately for her mother and the others.

~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~

"Hey, Cat, check this out!"

Jake seemed to have gotten over being left behind by Rick, Shane, and Carl (though it _was_ my fault that he was trailing back toward the RV and the highway, he would never go against my wishes and sneak off after them). He raced up to me, a small nest in hand, displaying it proudly for Daryl and I to see.

Unlike Shane, who had totally disregarded anything Carl had to say since being denied by his mother, Daryl showed interest in what was in my brother's hands. Leaning forward to examine it, he quirked a brow, extending a hand in askance.

Jake didn't hesitate to hand it over; somewhere along the way, he had come to trust Daryl implicitly. Whether it was because he kept the two of us safe or because he had assured my brother that I would return, I didn't know, but I could only thank the Lord that Daryl didn't just brush him off and continue on his way.

Daryl paused a moment to examine the nest. Jake and I slowed to a stop to watch him; head tilted to one side, I found myself snorting at the mental image of Daryl as an avid bird-watcher before all hell broke loose.

After a moment, he nodded once, returning the nest to my brother's hands. Adjusting his crossbow over his shoulder, the ghost of a smirk darted across his face before he pointed at the empty bundle of twigs, "'t's from a robin."

"How do you know that?" Jake inquired curiously, his head dipping, trying to find what made the nest so special.

"Size," Daryl replied breezily, his eyes cutting quickly to mine, a dangerous glint flashing through those baby blues of his. I flushed, licking my lips and shaking my head, offering him somewhere between a scowl and a smirk. He mimicked the action before returning his attention to my brother (who was simply shaking his head, glancing between the pair of us with a perplexed frown), "They're pretty common 'round here. Plus," he observed, "there's little bits o' blue in there. 't's what color their eggs are."

Jake let out a small 'whoa', before grinning ecstatically and darting off to show Glenn what he'd found. Watching him go, I found myself shaking my head in disbelief and peering up at my hunter.

He scanned the trees casually, his eyes drifting to the ground every now and again, most likely in search of Sophia's footprints. Ever the observant hunter, though, he felt me examining him. Unfazed, he lifted his gaze to meet mine, humming in question.

Lifting a shoulder, I smiled and muttered, "Thanks." He didn't seem to follow me, so I tilted my head in Jake's direction, "For that."

Realization hit him and he rolled his shoulders, almost uncomfortable with the praise, and replied somberly, "'t's nothin'."

"Not to me," I shifted my gait slightly, closing some of the distance between us and digging my elbow lightly into his side. He slung an arm back behind him, catching my ass and giving me a rough, sharp squeeze.

A startled 'eep!' escaped me, earning the attention of one young Korean – on high alert in case it was a walker that caught me off guard – before he flushed a bright red and returned his attention to Jake. Whether he heard anything the young boy had to say, I didn't know, probably distracted as he was by the hidden PDA behind his back.

I didn't want to say it – because I had the feeling Daryl would be extremely weirded out by my comment – but he would have been an excellent (albeit surprising) father. Or at least an older brother. Maybe a little awkward at times, like he was with Jake and Carl and the other kids, but he'd be protective as hell, like he was with me.

It'd be cute…

It was a shame that Daryl had been the younger of the Dixons; imagine how Merle would have turned out if he had someone like my hunter looking out for him and not the other way around…

"What was your…"

_BANG!_

We all froze, weapons drawn and on high alert, as the gunshot rang through the clearing. The sound echoed, but was followed by a resounding silence. No other shots accompanied it, making me nervous as hell.

Why one shot?

Usually there was more than one walker ambling through the woods and, if there wasn't, it would draw more. Soooo the additional shots would be coming right… about…

Nothing.

"What the hell was that?" Andrea inquired, caution and concern sweeping over her face as she glanced between Daryl and Glenn.

"How th' hell should I know?" Daryl snapped, his crossbow immediately tucked beneath his armpit, his cheek to the cold metal. With a quick sweep, he glanced around the forest, expecting something, anything…

It had to have been Rick and Shane, but, with all of the trees around us, I couldn't tell where it had come from. Could've been anywhere; could've been right behind us in all actuality…

"What if it was…?"

"It was probably just the guys taking care of a walker," I interrupted Carol, glancing quickly toward Daryl, who simply tensed and nodded once, "or gettin' us some dinner."

He didn't have to lie on my behalf, but he did anyway. Sniffing, he pursed his lips and rolled his shoulders, squinting through the trees and glanced hastily at Carol, "Lotta deer out here."

It _might_ have been Sophia, but she didn't need to speculate about it. Not yet. Not until Rick and Shane came back and told us without a doubt that Sophia was dead.

"They're gonna have a helluva time dragging it back," I nodded resolutely, quirking a brow and prodding Daryl along. He was the de facto leader of this little group, right? Rick might not have put him in charge officially, but who else did we have? Glenn could get us through a city, but the woods?

Not to mention, I trusted him the most out of our ragtag group… then again, I might have just been a little biased…

"Maybe you should stay here," Carol suggested timidly, glancing shyly up at Daryl before her gaze cut quickly to me and then the ground, "and help them?"

She wasn't talking about a deer; that much was obvious. Daryl was the best tracker we had – hell, probably the best tracker left in the country, aside from maybe Merle if he wasn't too busy trying to drug himself up – and he would be able to find Sophia far easier than Rick or Shane.

Lori glanced between Daryl and I, her brows settled low over her dark eyes; she knew we were lying (hell, I _knew _Carol knew we were making shit up on the spot to keep her from flipping shit), but hopefully she wouldn't be a bitch and call us out on it. She hitched her backpack over her shoulder, touching Carol's arm and offering her a warm smile as she turned and peered up at the taller, younger woman, "I don't know about you, but I can't find my way out of a paper bag. Daryl's the only one who knows these woods, right Daryl?"

He nodded once, jerking his head toward the direction we'd been heading. Without a word, the rest of our little group trudged ahead, Danny glancing over his shoulder, not at us (though I'm sure he took the opportunity to scowl at us from the corner of his eye), but for any sign of the officers or some stray walkers.

"Deer _would_ be a nice change," I murmured, stepping over a snake hole while Daryl simply stepped _on_ it. So _maybe_ there was a poisonous snake in there; he didn't care. I doubted a snake could actually take him down anyway…

"Yeah, well that shot scared off every last one of 'em," he muttered gruffly, eyes narrowed as he wiped the sweat from his forehead with the back of his hand, "won't see one around here for a while…"

"That sucks," I stated, waving a hand at my face. The forest was stifling today – it was summer in Georgia, what did I expect? – and I felt the urge to rip my shirt off, everyone else be damned. _So_ it would probably scar my little brother for life, and Daryl would probably end up ripping Glenn's eyeballs out… I'd feel better…

A slight snort escaped the man beside me, interrupting my reverie (I'd somehow found myself thinking about what Daryl would do to _me_ if I ripped my top off in front of him…). He shook his head, offering me a grimace, "That wasn't no pistol."

"What?"

"That shot," he continued, peering over his shoulder before slinging the crossbow over it, scratching the back of his neck awkward, as though he didn't want to admit it, "wasn't a pistol. That's what Grimes has. And Walsh? He's got a shotgun, not a rifle…"

"You think they were attacked?" I inquired incredulously, stilling and catching his arm, forcing him to turn to me. He did, arms folding almost defensively across his chest, sharp, blue eyes drifting toward the rest of the group. I ignored them – if they wanted to turn and try and listen in on our conversation, so be it – and focused on the problem at hand.

"Maybe," he replied reluctantly, shoulders tensed, jaw clenching, eyes drifting up to meet mine from the ground, "could've fought 'em off… Didn't hear nothin' else. Not likely that you could take out two grown men and a kid with one bullet…"

"Maybe they used other weapons," I suggested, anxiety filling me at the thought of the guys being attacked, "maybe we _should_ go back…"

A sharp, sudden scream pierced through the forest, too close to be anyone but one of our group members. My crossbow was in my hands before I knew it, Daryl a step ahead of me as he darted through the underbrush, toward the source of the noise.

Andrea was on the ground, a young woman, probably around my age, on a goddamn _horse_ looming over her, a baseball bat in hand. The walker that had tried to kill the blonde was on the ground a few feet away from the pair, but the name the woman babbled distracted us.

"Lori?" she glanced away from Andrea when the older woman remained unresponsive, "Lori Grimes?"

Carol caught the brunette's arm as she lunged forward, eyes wide, but Lori shook her off. The young, emerald-eyed girl looked down at her and queried once more, "Lori? Rick sent me… there was an accident. Your son, Carl, he was shot; you need to come with me…"

The woman didn't even finish her sentence before Lori was hoisting herself onto the horse behind her. The girl, obviously an expert, turned the stallion around.

"The hell do you think you're doin'?!" Daryl growled, stalking forward, a hand on his crossbow, "we don't know her! This could all be some kinda trick!"

"She knows their names," I caught his arm as he made to pass me; infuriated, he yanked his arm from mine and glowered at the pair. The girl, while she didn't seem overly concerned with the threatening glare she was receiving, had the sense to back the horse away, just a bit, in case she had to make a break for it.

I was just flabbergasted, cradling a nervous Jake to my chest and wondering what in the hell was going on. Yes, I'd heard her, understood the words she'd spoken, but was still trying to process it all.

How did Carl _accidentally_ get shot? I mean, it wasn't hard to tell that the boy wasn't a walker, especially since he was able to keep that damned sheriff's hat on his head. I mean, not many walker had hats on; they ambled around, bumped into each other – it was bound to fall off at some point. And I doubted most walkers held guns; hadn't the shooter seen Rick and Shane? Clearly _they _weren't walkers. They would've talked, spoken…

This was weird as hell and I didn't like any of it…

The girl ignored Daryl, though, as did Lori, and gestured toward the rest of us, her eyes falling on said hunter, "Go back to the highway. A few miles back, there's a driveway; Greene's Farm – it's on the mailbox…"

With that, she spun the horse in the direction she'd come and she and Lori disappeared in a cloud of dirt and grass. Daryl cursed after them, the rest of us just watching the scene warily, before stalking forward. The walker that had first attacked Andrea groaned, pushing itself upright, only to receive an arrow to the brain and an irritable "shut up," from my hunter.

He didn't bother to try and run after the girl and her horse, instead he just gestured for the rest of us to follow him. He was going back to the highway, like we'd originally planned, hopefully pick up Sophia on the way and find this farm.

"What the fuck?"

Licking my lips, I offered Glenn a one-shouldered shrug; _my thoughts exactly…_

~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~

So, Carl had gotten shot. And Rick and Shane were at some farm, presumably with the boy and whoever had shot him in the first place. It was an accident of some sort, but we'd need the details once we'd gotten there.

But first, we had to deal with T-Dog. Dale approached us once we made it back to the asphalt (without Sophia in tow, unfortunately), his beady eyes wide, his hat in his hands. He wrung it anxiously, tugging Daryl, Andrea, and I away from the RV.

He didn't bother asking about Sophia – not to hurt Carol, whom he'd gathered in a warm, lingering hug the minute we'd returned – and instead muttered, "There's something _terribly_ wrong with T-Dog. He's got a nasty infection in his arm; I don't know if he's gonna make it without treatment."

"Well where are we gonna find medicine?" Andrea inquired, her attitude a little much for the current situation; yes, she was still pissed at the man (for saving her life), but we had a more serious issue at hand.

"There are how many cars around here?" I inquired, peering worriedly up at the RV; if we didn't treat the infection, Dale was right, there was no way he would survive. He probably had blood poisoning and, while I was no doctor, I knew we wouldn't be able to treat it with a few pieces of aspirin. "We're bound to find something in one of them."

"We checked all of them," Andrea disagreed, defiance in her tone, though her glare was directed at Dale. What? It wasn't _his_ fault that T-Dog was sick…

"_All _of them?" I repeated, offering her an incredulous frown, "this highway is _covered_ in cars; we haven't looked through _half_ of them… Maybe if we branch out a little bit, we'd-"

"What about Sophia?" Andrea inquired defensively, her hands fisted on her hips. Oh, and here I thought we'd become friends again in the forest… "And Carl? We can't just leave them on that farm…"

"I'm not saying we stop looking for Sophia," I snapped, sending the taller woman a vicious scowl (trust me, that was _not_ something I'd picked up off of Daryl; I was a pro at that since age 3), "or Carl; but what are we gonna do for them? None of us are doctors or nurses; I don't know about you but I sure as hell can't dig a bullet out of a kid… And T-Dog's seriously ill; if we could find something…"

"What are we gonna find?" she retorted, brows furrowed low over her eyes as she glared at me, waving a hand at the cars around us, "I don't see an ambulance, do you?"

"Ladies, ladies, please," Dale interjected, his hands raised in defense when the pair of us shot him dual glowers, "we don't need him to-"

"Stay out of this, Dale," Andrea held up a hand, prepared to resume our argument.

"If you two're done…," Daryl commented loudly, a sharp edge to his tone; I'd almost forgotten Dale had dragged him off to the side until now. He was fiddling around with something on the back of his bike, revealing a serious stash of meds, prescription and non, in a big, clear plastic baggie.

"Merle's stash," he announced dryly, not at all pleased to admit that his brother had a drug problem (though we all knew that already) or that he'd kept it with him, "this is some hardcore shit." He opened the bag, rifling through the bottles before looking over one in particular, "Ain't none o' that generic shit, either; it's the real deal."

Deciding that would be good enough to give T-Dog a fighting chance, he tossed it to Dale, lifting an unconcerned shoulder, "Merle got the clap on occasion."

I couldn't help the snort that escaped me; my blood quickly cooling from my fight with Andrea. She was just wasting my time; it wasn't worth it to argue. There was too much shit to worry about than petty fights; I just didn't know what Daryl wanted to do next.

Offering Dale a soft smile and gesturing toward the RV, I ignored the blonde and made my way toward my hunter. He was watching me, arms folded loosely across his chest, his darkened eyes betraying his amusement at my standoff with the much taller, older woman. He probably wouldn't have minded watching me kick her ass (as I undoubtedly could; we little ones were spitfires when it came to fist fights), but we needed to figure out our next move.

Once I'd reached the motorcycle, he gestured for me to keep on walking; falling in step beside me, he led me a little further from the RV, running a hand through his thick, dampened hair.

"What's the plan?"

My question seemed to surprise him; he turned, offering me a curious frown, to which I simply shrugged, "What?"

"Why you askin' me?" he queried, an almost accusatory tone to his voice as he leaned back against a car. Resting one ankle over the other, his uncertainty more than a little obvious, "You should be askin' him…"

With a jerk of his chin, he gestured toward Dale, who was reentering the RV, Glenn hot on his heels. No doubt the Korean was going to tell him of what we'd learned and ask him for his advice; really, Dale _was_ the go-to guy for all things wisdom-related – I could see Daryl's confusion.

"Well, I know _you_ and I know you're the type of guy who wouldn't just give up on Sophia," I replied casually, falling into place beside him – only after checking the front and back seats of the car for any sign of a walker (which amused him to no end), "so do you want to go to the farm or do you want to stay here?"

"Doesn't matter what _I _do," he replied seriously, scratching absently at the bristly stubble along his jaw, "if we know this farm's safe, I want you ta go there…"

"Wait," I frowned, immediately on the defensive once again, pushing myself away from the car, "what do you mean?"

"I'm gonna keep lookin' for Sophia," he replied calmly, though there was a hint of warning to his tone, "once we know if that place is safe or not, I want you there. You an' yer brother, an' the rest o' this group. Rick and Shane are there; they'll keep an eye on you."

"I can keep an eye on myself, thanks," I replied hotly, lips pursed and glare in place, my face flushing with anger and a bit of embarrassment (I thought he had faith in me to take care of my own ass).

"Just wanna keep you safe," he replied, a dangerous bite to his tone, pushing himself away from the car and towering over me. Our chests collided as he loomed, his hands catching my waist despite my resistance; teeth bared, his nose practically brushed against mine as he invaded my personal space, "If it were up ta me, you'd be in that RV every damn day…"

"Cuz we know _that's_ safe," I replied, sarcasm dripping from every word; did he not remember the walker that had almost taken out Andrea the day before? She had to take it out with a screwdriver? Tried to kill her while she hid in the bathroom? Nothin'?

"Safer than you bein' up in a tree surrounded by walkers," he spat, backing me up into another car, his arms forming a cage on either side of my body.

He was in my face again, his eyes blazing with irritation, with rage, his frown deepening as I laughed dryly, "Is it?"

"You know what I mean," he growled each word out, his lip curling in agitation. Head tilted to one side, he regarded me silently, angrily. Why wasn't I getting it? He just wanted to keep me safe.

_Well boo-hoo for you, babe,_ I thought, rolling my eyes and quirking a frustrated brow. A strange mixture of extreme irritation and sudden, intense lust overcame me as I stared up at him, but I sure as hell wouldn't let him in on the latter emotion. Instead, I mustered up my most acerbic tone and replied, "I _know_ what you mean. And I'm _also_ not a child; I can handle a gun, I can handle a bow – I can handle you. I know what I'm doing…"

That obviously did nothing to convince him; he simply pressed me further into the car, a growl escaping him. That noise, coupled with the intense gleam in his cerulean eyes… _hell_. Warmth ran through me – and it wasn't entirely from anger – and settled itself between my legs.

He seemed to notice the change in me – try as I might, I couldn't keep up my furious glower, instead, probably staring up at him with wide, dark eyes. Silently, he swept his eyes from my face, to my chest and neck, where the flush was increasingly darkening, back to my mouth. Dipping his face, he let out the slightest of groans – a mixture of irritation and lust – only to be met with a hand against his face.

His dark eyes lifted, narrowing in question, but I swallowed, my mouth dry and my mind screaming in protest, "Hell no."

His jaw clenched, his lip curling, and he shoved himself away from me, his hands falling limply to his sides. Knuckles white, he regarded me coolly, turning without a word and stalking away. I tried not to look at his ass as he powered off, away from the RV, if only to resolve my strength, and sighed.

Fisting a hand to my mouth, I cursed myself for missing out on what was sure to be some hot, angry sex, and instead tried to cool myself down.

"Where's he going?"

Swallowing, I turned to glance up at Glenn, hoping I didn't look as crestfallen as I felt; judging by the grimacing smile he offered me, I didn't do too well, "He's pissed. What'd Dale have to say?"

"He said we need to get T-Dog to the farm," he replied, removing his cap and raking a hand through his thick, black hair, "he wants me to go. I dunno, though; I don't want to leave you guys here… What if something happens…?"

"We'll take care of it," I replied, frustration lacing my tone despite my best efforts to hide it, "what does he want the rest of us to do?"

"Sounds like he wants you guys to stay here and wait for Sophia," Glenn stated, grimacing at the thought of splitting our already fractured group, "at least for the night."

"Good," I muttered, relief spreading through me. Imagine leaving the highway before we ever found her… holy balls, the thought gave me chills… "You _should_ go, though. Take T-Dog; he wouldn't be able to fight off any of the walkers if they _do_ come back. Somewhere he'll be able to rest gives him a better chance…"

Glenn nodded, as though he'd already heard that (from Dale, I wouldn't be surprised), "Yeah, you're right… Do you want me to take Jake with me?"

Biting my lower lip, I nodded once, "Yeah. I don't like being away from him, but…"

"It's safer," Glenn agreed with my silent announcement. Resting a hand on my shoulder (only after he'd peered behind me to make sure Daryl wasn't hanging around to beat his ass for touching me), he continued, "If it's not, I won't even get out of the car. I'll just drive straight back here…"

"Good," I grinned, shoving my damp bangs away from my face, relief coloring my expression, "thanks, Glenn."

"You don't wanna come?" he inquired, though he sounded as though he already knew the answer. When I nodded, he mimicked the action and offered me an awkward smile, "Hey, about this morning… I'm… sorry…"

Offering him a silent thumbs-up – what the hell was I supposed to say to that? The man saw me naked for God's sake – I turned and scanned the highway.

_Don't wanna talk about this, Gleeeenn,_ I mused silently, praying he would take the hint and wander off. He muttered something about leaving in a bit, before jogging off to find the others.

Breathing a sigh of relief, I spotted my hunter not too far off, toward the edge of the road. His hands were clasped around the guardrail, his shoulders hunched as he stared out over the treetops.

I couldn't see the look on his face, but I could tell by his stance that he was still pissed. Wonder how long he'd been thinking about that, having me stay where it was safe? Clearly, we'd just learned about the farm, but did he really expect _me_ to hide out while he and the others went and took out walkers? Didn't he remember Atlanta? I was in the thick of it there; I was one of the guys when it came to hunting down walkers.

What had changed?

Maybe he always felt that way. I mean, let's face it, if I got into it with a massive walker and I didn't have a weapon on me, we knew who was winning.

Was it the whole lost in the woods thing?

My musings were interrupted, though, by my little brother catching my arm; he's lucky I didn't snap his wrist, he scared me so bad. Immediately dropping my defensive stance when I realized it was him, I offered him a small smile, "What's up, buddy?"

"Glenn said you wanted me to go with him to that farm place," he replied, running a hand through his light hair, his soft, green eyes mildly anxious. He frowned, chewing on his lower lip, "Are you going, too?"

"No, not yet," I replied, catching his chin as he went to stare at the ground in dejection, "hey, listen, I'll be there eventually, but we're gonna keep looking for Sophia."

"But what if there's an accident?" he inquired nervously, shifting from foot to foot. Crouching, I stared up into his face, concern flooding through me; he was pale, worn. I wasn't surprised; we were all exhausted. But he was just a kid… He should never have had to go through anything like this, not ever. And now his friend was possibly dying – after his true best friend was torn apart…

Gathering him into a warm hug, I cupped the back of his neck, stroking his hair with the other, "There won't be. What happened with Carl was just that… it was an accident. I don't know what happened; we won't know 'til we get there, but it was just a freak thing."

"Like all of this," Jake suggested, waving a hand at the abandoned vehicles and the general horrible state of life at the moment.

Letting out a dry laugh, I nodded, pulling him away from the crook of my neck and wiping away a stray tear with the pad of my thumb, "Like all of this. But hey, you can see how Carl's doing if you go."

He tilted his head, nodding at the suggestion; he hadn't thought of that. In all honesty, I didn't know if he'd _want_ to see Carl – I mean, did he get shot in the face? The leg? What? – but at least he would know. I mean, hell, _I _wanted to know what happened to Carl, wanted to know how the little guy was doing…

"When is Glenn going?" I inquired, patting his cheek and standing, "do you have your bag ready?"

We hadn't been sleeping out of the cars lately, not since we'd left the CDC. It was too dangerous, especially staying on the highway like we were. No, we took to the cars, to the RV, to sleep, so we didn't really unpack our bags. Except Jake's belongings always seemed to be splayed all over the place once that zipper was undone. He was kind of like me in that respect, the crazy little guy.

He nodded, catching my hand and dragging me back toward the RV, "Where's Daryl?"

_Well, we were gonna have sex, possibly, but I pushed him away because he pissed me off…, _I mused dryly, before turning and yelling out over my shoulder, "Dixon! You gonna say goodbye to Jake before he goes?"

The hunter didn't reply, didn't so much as move, but I knew he'd heard me. I knew he'd come, too; Jake was slowly, steadily, growing on him. Offering my brother a small smile, I nodded toward the RV, "How's T-Dog doing?"

"He looks bad," Jake noted, his tone low, shaking his head slightly, "but he's doin' a little better. Whatever Daryl gave him helped already."

"That's good," I muttered, resting my hands on his shoulders as we reached the RV, Dale and Glenn escorting the poor guy from within. He did look horrible; he was a big guy and to see him so weak and vulnerable…

I could only imagine what would have happened if Daryl hadn't thrown a walker on top of him to keep him from being noticed… We'd be T-Dog-less, that's what.

"Hey, buddy," I grinned, offering him a reassuring look and gesturing toward the car, "you're gonna sleep in a real bed tonight."

"You wanna share it with me?" he laughed breathlessly, head lolling to one side as he was escorted to Carol's car. The beat up old station wagon may have been junky, but it still ran pretty well. At least Ed took care of something while he was alive…

"Oh sure," I laughed, offering him an exaggerated wink, "but only because you're so sick. I'll take it easy on you…"

"Naw, I like it rough," he chuckled, groaning as he was eased into the back seat. He didn't bother to wait for a response; he slumped into the back seat, panting heavily and clutching at his arm.

Whoever was laughing before – we had sort of congregated around the RV to see the guys off – fell silent; I didn't bother asking why, instead peering over my shoulder and watching Daryl stalk into view.

He didn't say a word about T-Dog's comment, though I knew he heard it, and glanced down at Jake. The young boy stared up at him, retrieving something from his tattered backpack; peering over his shoulder, I watched him offer the empty nest he'd found earlier to Daryl, "Could you hold this for me, 'til you guys come to the farm?"

The hunter nodded silently, accepting the nest and slinging his pack around from his own shoulders. Tucking it safely within the folds, he dropped a heavy hand on Jake's shoulder, squeezing it, slightly, "Stay safe… or I'll kick your ass."

Jake let out a startled laugh and nodded, "Okay. Bye Daryl."

The gruff redneck didn't reply – and it seemed like Jake wasn't expecting him to – and my brother made his rounds, saying farewell to the others. When it came to me, he gave me a long, lingering hug, reluctant to release me until Glenn patted his shoulder, muttering, "C'mon. Let's get going."

As Jake climbed into the passenger seat, I caught Glenn's arm. Arching a dangerous brow, I didn't have to say a word; he raised his hands, noting assuredly, "I'll keep him safe."

Nodding, I swallowed the lump in my throat and watched him climb into the car and drive off into the oncoming darkness. This was gonna be a helluva night.

~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~

Carol was crying. Andrea was trying to put her gun together. Danny and Riley were chatting quietly. Sniff, sniff. Sob. Sniff. Clink. Clack. Bang, clack, frustrated sigh. Mumble, mumble, mumble, giggle, something that sounded like a kiss.

I was lying on my side in the back of the RV, on the queen-sized bed that T-Dog had sweated all over and that, when Jim was in the process of _dying_, he'd been lying on, too. So, basically, I was in a sickbed.

Giggle. Sniffle. Click.

That was helping me sleep about as much as the noises within the RV were.

The only thing that _wasn't_ keeping me from sleeping was Daryl; normally he snored, not necessarily loudly, but consistently, but he wasn't making a peep, which told me he wasn't even asleep. We still hadn't spoken much since our little head-to-head earlier, but he had come into the RV an hour and a half ago, setting himself up on the floor just in front of the bed.

"Fuck." Gun slammed on table.

Restrained wail.

"Danny, _stop_…"

A low grunt echoed through the small room – startling me momentarily (was it a walker?) – as Daryl got to his feet and slung his crossbow over his shoulder. He paused before leaving; cracking an eye, I watched him stop and stare at me, his expression unreadable in the darkness.

Without a word, he dropped the crossbow from his shoulder and approached the bed; my heart leapt as he lowered himself onto the creaky mattress beside me, the bed dipping beneath his weight. He leaned forward, forearms resting on his thighs, turning only his head and peering down at me. I didn't think he was going to speak, but his voice, soft and low, broke the silence, "I know you're awake."

"How do you know that?" I inquired, tucking my arm beneath my head and watching him curiously.

A smirk swept across his mouth, disappearing almost as quickly as it came, "I know everythin' you do."

"Stalker," I accused, though there was more amusement in my tone than anything.

He lifted a shoulder, unaffected by the title I'd given him, "Can't help it if I like watchin' you."

A deliciously warm thrill ran through me as I grinned, tentatively reaching out for him, "I love that you watch me; that you watch _out_ for me."

He nodded once; I didn't have to say a word, but he knew what followed. _But I'm gonna do what I'm gonna do and I want you to be behind me if I do it, even if it's stupid._ And he agreed to it with just a simple movement.

Turning his body, he lowered his face, now mere inches from me, and ran his nose along my cheek, "I'm gonna go out an' look for Sophia. You wanna come with me?"

Click, clack, giggle, sniff.

"Hell yeah," I muttered, flinging the sheet from my body and allowing him to haul me to my feet. He grinned, slinging his crossbow over his shoulder and retrieving mine. He eased it over my shoulders, his hand straying to the nape of my neck and drawing me toward him. His mouth met mine in a warm, crushing kiss, his hand slinking to my waist as my arms snaked around his neck.

It was a heated kiss, full of desire and passion, one that I would have loved to continue to explore if we weren't in a cramped RV full of our fellow survivors.

Sighing softly against my mouth, Daryl pulled away first, his knuckles brushing against my jaw. He searched my face, his forehead resting against my chin as his eyes dropped to my hand, my fingers tracing the cross around his neck.

Shifting my head, my heart pounding in my chest, I pressed my lips to his cheek. I didn't say the words, simply mouthed them, but they were there nonetheless. _I love you, Daryl_.

He stroked my spine, drawing me further into his chest, and tilted his head. His mouth to my neck, he repeated the sentiment, _Love you, Kit._

Disentangling myself from the hunter, I offered him a soft smile before stepping around him, announcing suddenly as I entered the kitchen area, "We're gonna go look for Sophia."

Carol's sniffles fell silent as Andrea dropped her gun and peered up at us, "I'm coming with you."

"Well get your ass movin'," Daryl stated, ever the irritable hunter in front of the rest of them, "don't want you holdin' us up."

Breezing past the table, I paused at the front of the RV. Danny and Riley were in the front seats, Danny behind the wheel, both of them staring up at me as I approached. I offered the pair a smile, not bothering to wait and see if they would return it, and hopped out into the darkened street.

We'd find her this time.

~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~

44 years ago today, the world was blessed with the amazingness that is Norman Reedus. Go wish him a happy birthday on Twitter! I've already done it like 5 times haha. Oh, and I haven't posted anything since then, but back in the beginning of December, there was a live chat Norman did and I got to talk to him! Oh God was it amazing! :D Anyway, done fangirling; onto the reviews :D

LeyshlaGisel: Murphette! Yeah, I figured I'd have her back up Kit since she never said anything about Shane and her being together lol. Yeah, I know right? Carol just complains without ever looking for her. LAME.

FanFicGirl10: Thanks! :D Haha me either; and I have no plans on killing her!

Dalonega Noquisi: Thanks! Hahahah I thought they were cute :D

OG Loko: haha sorry sorry! I know, he's 20 years older than me but I don't care! I love him! It's his birthday by the way :D Hey hey she's not bitten yet! I just thought we should see what things are like from her pov =D Haha yeah I don't like Carol either or Lori. They're annoyinggg

DeviantDames: I'm thinking of changing it up, have one of them find her. Think she should live?

xXx Tinkies xXx: Thank ya! I plan to :D

Lacey: Why thank you! I'm so glad you think so :D Yeah, he's not a big softie (even though he has his moments) but this is how I think he'd react to being in love teehee

Nelle07: Haha yes I hate that! I'm like ooohhh I didn't want to hug you but…

Smkelover: :D

Hearthecall09: haha thakn you! I'm so glad you like it! I know, I hate Mary Sues and I was hoping she wouldn't be one! Yeah, Daryl wouldn't like that, he'd want a gal that would be able to take care of herself =D

KillerKadoogan: Why thank you! I'm so glad you like it! I adore Daryl so much =D

Kaleiburzz: I plan to keep her alive! I'm glad you think so; I was hoping to keep Daryl in character; it gets difficult sometimes haha. And Shane, yuck haha. I have plans for him and Kit (not in a good way lol). Haha I would go back for the raccoon lol!

Guest: Thank ya!

Jofrench22: Thank ya! Nope, I plan to keep her alive :D I just haven't figured out how I want to do it yet

LovelySpecter: Haha I know how that can be! I need to update my Boondock Saints one too gah! Haha yes I can't wait for the next half wooo!

Regin: haha thank ya!

MHZutaraFanGirl: haha thank you! I'm glad you like it! Haha yes, I can't restrain myself when it comes to Norman Reedus!

Paxinterra: haha sorry I kept you up so late! But I'm so glad you like it! Haha I saw this and was like oh you're in for a treat, since I started this update yesterday lol. Hope you like this one too!


	31. AN Please read!

So, I come to you all, groveling. I'm _so_ sorry for the lack of updates. This year has, without a doubt, flown by for me. In the beginning of the year, I was frantically searching for a grad school, which I found, and started a program in September. That and work have been taking up my life. I haven't even really gotten to write my own original stories, which tears me to bits. I seriously live for writing and having not written this for so long is not only depressing for all of you, but for myself as well.

So, with that in mind, I _promise_ you that I will have an update for you all by Saturday at the latest. Hopefully it will make up for the lack of updates. Once December hits, I'll probably update more often, as I'll be on Christmas break.

Again, I apologize to everyone who has been waiting for this to be updated. I hate myself for it!

~ Lift the Wings xx


	32. Hope

A/N: No excuses. Just inadequate updating from me, for which I sincerely apologize. I hope my readership is still out there! I never meant for it to be this long between updates. So basically, what I'm saying, is I'm an ass.

Question: How are you guys liking the season so far?

Disclaimer: I don't own the Walking Dead. If I did, well, hell, I'd be livin' it up with Norman and the rest of that loveable bunch!

Chapter Twenty-Six: Hope

_Breezing past the table, I paused at the front of the RV. Danny and Riley were in the front seats, Danny behind the wheel, both of them staring up at me as I approached. I offered the pair a smile, not bothering to wait and see if they would return it, and hopped out into the darkened street. _

_We'd find her this time. _

~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!

"If it wasn't for him… Otis was a brave man," Shane, looking more strung out than Merle on a good day, raked a hand over his shaved head, looking incredibly out of place in a pair of oversized overalls, "what he did for Carl…"

Guess who ended up being wrong?

It wasn't the first time, nor would it be the last, but as we left the highway, leaving behind some sorry excuse of a note and some food and water for Sophia, we made our way to the farm. Wasn't sure what we'd find there, but it was, apparently, better than waiting for walkers to mow down on us in our sleep.

Try telling that to Carol who, despite her lack of assistance, refused to leave her daughter behind. It was only when we practically hog-tied her to the passenger seat in the RV and swore that we'd keep looking for her daughter that she let up and sat back in defeat. Daryl took the lead on that one, implying that he wouldn't rest until the little girl was safe and sound in her mother's arms.

I didn't like the way Carol looked at Daryl as he stormed off, hopping from the RV with an irritable growl.

Shifting uneasily beside Daryl, I chanced a glance at the rebellious hunter. His weight on one foot, he kept a hold of his crossbow as it hung over his shoulder, his dark, sapphire eyes narrowed against the blinding Georgia sun. He didn't focus much on what was being said – neither was I for that matter; I didn't know Otis and, even if he had given his life for Carl, I found it kind of hard to connect.

Instead, he studied our surroundings, glancing from where our vehicles were parked near a beautiful, antebellum farmhouse, to the massive, worn down, wooden barn off on the edge of the farm, to the fields on the off chance any walkers were in the area, to me.

His grimace barely faltered, though he did tilt his head to one side, his brow furrowing slightly in a silent question.

Did I want to go looking for Sophia with him or did I want to stay at the farmhouse and rest?

The choice was harder than he probably thought. Sure, sleeping sounded heavenly, especially since I now knew my brother – and Carl and T-Dog – were alright, but that would leave him on his own again, something that didn't sit well with me. As much as Daryl liked to prove he was a loner, he needed _someone_ to look out for him.

He might not have admitted it, but I think it pleased him that I was willing to accept that challenge. He wasn't always the easiest guy to get along with, something he'd admit to you in a heartbeat, but, well, he was my hunter. It's kind of what you did when you were in love with a guy, especially with the threat of walkers out there.

The blonde woman across from me let out a pitiful whimper, leaning against the owner of the farm, an elderly man named Hershel, for support. He patted her back, brushing a hand through her hair, murmuring gently to her as she bawled into his chest.

She was Otis's wife, if memory served. The others on the farm, Maggie – the girl who had absconded with Lori – her sister Beth, and a boy named Jimmy, they all appeared upset by Otis's death, but she… she loved that man.

Swallowing the lump in the back of my throat, I cradled Jake to my chest and tried to tune out Shane's awkward eulogy.

We hadn't found Sophia, obviously, or Carol wouldn't look half as put out as she did now. Despite our best efforts – even a little camaraderie forming between Andrea and Daryl over Daryl's self-sufficiency and poison oak toilet paper as a kid – we hadn't been able to find her. So the hunt would begin again, after we paid respects to the man who had died to give Shane a chance to save Rick's son.

Even though Daryl and the others managed to convince me that Sophia's disappearance was neither my fault nor Rick's, it still didn't sit right with me that we leave her behind. I don't think anyone was happy about it, Danny going insofar as opposing Daryl's idea, but the longer we stayed away from the rest of our group, the more dangerous things became.

I could hardly believe that those words came from my hunter and his previous 'I don't need nobody' mentality.

Since the weather was still nice and the ride to the farm wasn't all that far, Daryl had taken his bike from the back of the truck and led the way. If anything approached, be it a walker or Sophia, he would be the first to know about it. We all hoped Sophia would just come stumbling out of the forest, wave her arms, a little dirty and banged up, but bite-less and completely alive.

"Cat, can I talk to you?"

Leave it to me to be the only one standing around Otis's makeshift grave – for obvious reasons, Shane hadn't been able to bring the body back – the rest of the party already dissipated and going about with their daily lives.

Well, I shouldn't say I was the _only_ one; Daryl hung back a bit, allowing me privacy for whatever reason I needed it. Maybe I was thinking of my parents or someone I'd lost; he couldn't be sure and he wouldn't interrupt, but he wouldn't let me altogether out of his sight.

But it wasn't my hunter who had spoken; it was Shane.

Shaking off an uneasy chill that washed over me – mostly because he looked as though he wasn't in his right mind (understandably so, but still…) – I tilted my head, clearing away my thoughts, "Sure; what's up?"

Jerking his chin toward what appeared to be a shed, he offered me a tense, lopsided grin, "Wanna walk with me?"

Inadvertently, my gaze shifted toward Daryl, wondering if he'd heard the ex-deputy's request and what he made of it. Cuz I couldn't make squat out of that.

Wander off on the farm, _why_?

We didn't even know if we were allowed to _stay_. Rick was working on that bit and, hell, I had my fingers crossed. It seemed like a nice place with good people; sure they were a little standoffish – but who _wouldn't_ be?

If a group of strangers – all packin' heat – approached _my_ turf, I'd be a little wary, too. Hopefully, I would let them stay – which I sincerely wanted these people to do – but it was a new world.

_Would_ I?

Maybe.

Depending on what they were like.

I just hoped our general filth and awful appearances didn't throw them off too much. It wasn't like the road had an overabundance of showers, right? Still, looking at Daryl, I had to wince; filthy didn't even _begin_ to describe him at that moment.

And furious didn't even begin to cover the look on his face as he glowered across the field at Shane. Close enough that the cop's words reached his ears, they obviously didn't put his mind at ease. Especially since he wanted to lead me toward some shed, alone, without him there to keep an eye on me.

Not that I couldn't handle myself if Shane wanted to try something – and, in all honesty, I wouldn't put it past him with the way he'd been acting toward Lori and, well, not to be cocky or anything, but _me_, too, for that matter.

Still, the olive-skinned man persisted, a slightly disarming grin on his face, "C'mon, Cat. What's a little walk gonna hurt? Just wanna know how the search last night went."

He could've asked Daryl, or Andrea, for that matter, or anyone who had just joined the farm party a few hours ago; they all knew and it wasn't like we found anything of importance.

But curiosity – mostly to see why in God's name Shane was acting in such a, well, un-Shane-like manner – got the better of me and I nodded, adjusting the crossbow over my shoulder in a display of mock toughness. Trotting after him, I tossed a glance over my shoulder at the hunter; eyes wide and brows high in an exaggerated grimace.

It didn't amuse Daryl – in all honesty, I doubted it would, by why not try? – but he made no move to follow me. Hell, he probably _would_ at some point, trailing after me at a far enough distance to keep him out of sight, but close enough to intervene if necessary. Shane probably wouldn't even notice, distracted as he was.

Returning my attention to said dazed cop, I fell in step beside him, casting him a sidelong glance. He didn't speak, his jaw tense, his nostrils flared; uneasily, I clutched at my crossbow and cleared my throat, querying, "So… last night?"

He appeared startled, as though he'd forgotten I was there – who wouldn't be a little distracted when the guy you went out with on a life or death run got torn apart? Biting the tip of his tongue, he drew his lips to one side and nodded, "Yeah. What happened? Find any sign of her?"

"Nooo," I replied, slowly, disconcertedly. Did _no one_ fill him in? I mean, if we found some kind of sign, we, at least a portion of us, wouldn't be there. We'd be put looking for her, obviously. Or she would already be there with us; knowing Daryl and how he'd taken up the gauntlet of finding the girl himself, if there was even a single, solitary sign that she was out there, he'd find her.

"Damn," he muttered, rubbing his jaw vigorously, his dark eyes blazing, "we should go out lookin' for her…"

"Daryl's planning on it," I replied, awkwardly jerking a thumb over my shoulder, before glancing down at the ex-officer's leg. He had a noticeable limp, one that probably resulted from trying to outrun the walkers he'd encountered the night before. But if he was limping, why wouldn't he have gotten taken down, too? Walkers didn't discriminate; they would take both him and Otis down if they could. "I might go with him; I dunno, I haven't decided yet."

"You should stay here," he commented, offering me a sympathetic grin before I could respond with a snappy retort, "you could gimme a hand. I wanna get these people trained."

"Trained?" I repeated, brows furrowing low over my eyes, absently swiping at the gnats buzzing about my face, "for what?"

"C'mon," he laughed deprecatingly, a broad grin on his oval face, "you can't tell me you _really _think these people can handle those guns, can you? I mean, none of 'em – _you_ included – really know how to use them weapons."

"I dunno, _some_ of us can handle 'em well enough," I answered hotly, quirking a dangerous brow and sneering.

He paused, hands fisted on his hips, legs spread wide, regarding me with the utmost surprise, "Calm down, girl; I didn't mean…" Sighing, he rubbed his shaved head vigorously, his dark eyes dropping in apology, "I don't need ya to train, I just… wanted ya there… Keep me company, ya know?"

Errrr, _no_? No, I didn't know; since when did Shane and I ever just _hang out_? He could have the others as company, like always.

I had better things to do than stand around and train people who probably had worked a gun before – they lived on a farm, out in the country; it wasn't a longshot, right?

Namely, finding a little girl that no one else seemed frantic enough to find.

"Sorry, Shane, but I've gotta go," I replied, covering up the flush of awkwardness that rose in me by turning and squinting against the sun, "we need to go as soon as we can; use as much daylight as we can…"

Was it just me or did he look genuinely put out by my refusal?

Bewilderment didn't even _begin_ to cover what I was feeling, hovering awkwardly beside the ex-deputy, but I swallowed any confusion and patted him on the shoulder, "I'll see you when I get back, though, right? Maybe they have some marshmallows; we can roast 'em over the fire or something…"

The laugh I forced from my mouth was about as fake as the occasional smile Lori sent me, but Shane bought it. Or pretended to.

Honestly, I didn't really know what was going on. It was one of those moments where you played along, but inside you knew absolutely nothing, floundering for an answer or at least a thread of understanding.

He caught my hand, gave it a light squeeze, and limped toward camp. Lip curling and jaw dropping, I watched him go, utterly floored.

"What the _fuck_?"

Peering over my shoulder, I offered Daryl a snort, nodding slowly at his sage comment as he stalked from a massive willow he'd planted himself behind. His eyes shifted from me to the deputy once, twice, his brow furrowed low over his eyes in blatant confusion.

"My sentiments exactly," I breathed, reaching out and catching his arm as he made to stride past me, after Shane, "hey, hey, hey. Don't go all macho-alpha-male on me, now, Dixon."

Though his shoulders remained tensed, his jaw set, his eyes cut to mine in reluctant acceptance. His back to me, he remained still, silent, as I fisted my hands on my hips, "We need to get going if we're gonna find her before dark."

"You comin'?" he inquired gruffly, his gaze unwillingly flitting toward Shane once more, "sure you don't wanna stay behind, give him a hand?"

Eyes drifting upward, I shook my head, clicking my tongue, and slinging my arm through his. Resting my chin on his shoulder, I batted my eyelashes in exaggeration, winking saucily, "I'd rather give _you_ a hand, Daryl."

He snorted, a begrudging smirk dashing across his face as he elbowed me gently in the stomach. He pressed a kiss to my forehead before snaking an arm around my waist, "C'mon, Kit. We're wastin' daylight…"

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Holy balls, was this harder than I thought. Daryl and I had covered more ground than I thought we could in a few hours, but still there was no sign of the little girl. How far could she have gone in the time she had been apart from us? She was a small thing, and scared; she would get tired, hopefully find some shelter… and stay there.

But she could have gone _anywhere_, in _any_ direction. She could have taken _one, single_ step to the left and we would never find her.

I couldn't think like that, though. Daryl wasn't; he was absolutely _convinced_ that we would find Sophia. It would happen, he was sure; it was just a matter of _when_. And, of course, when we found her, she would be _fine_. Perfectly, completely, utterly _fine_.

I wished I could be as confident.

But, as we wandered toward an abandoned farmhouse – the fifth of the day – I raked a hand through my hair and cracked my back, "I think I'll just hang out out here, babe."

The hunter turned to me, brows resting heavily over his bright eyes; ducking his head, he glanced suspiciously around the small, overgrown lawn. He looked for the threat, I knew, in the knee-high grass, wondering if it was safe enough to leave me all by my lonesome. Instead of voicing that, though – knowing I would probably scowl and fold my arms over my chest in defiance – he nodded once, moving closer, "You sure?"

"Yeah," I nodded, offering him a rather forced grin and pressing a hand to his perspiring chest, "call me if you find anything, okay?"

He nodded, resting his forehead against mine. Taking the initiative, I leaned upward, capturing his mouth in a swift, reassuring kiss, "Go on, then."

He shook his head – he would never roll his eyes, but if ever there were a moment, it would be the one where I ushered him on like an obedient pup would be it – but obliged. Not before giving my ass a quick slap, enjoying my indignant huff as he went.

With him preoccupied inside, I set about searching the surrounding area. There were plenty of roses, pretty, pale things, growing wild, and a handful of thistles and dandelions, but no evidence of a person in a good long time. I was no tracker, but I could tell a pair of footprints in the grass would be a recent thing; probably in the last week if there had been no rain.

But what the hell did I know?

Strolling through the yard, eyes wide and searching, I kept one ear on the house at my rear. As to whether or not Daryl _would_ call me if he needed help, I doubted it; he was a hunter, a killer. He could take down a few walkers without my help.

But if Sophia _was_ in there, I hoped he would holler; she would need attention immediately and, while I wasn't an expert, I _was_ the one with the first aid kit in my pack.

I had stayed outside, not for a lack of desire in _finding_ Sophia, but I was… I was _tired_ of _not_ finding her. Exploring another empty farmhouse with no evidence of her ever even being there… The guilt of spending time looking in a place where she clearly _wasn't_ when we could have spent that time looking in a place where she _was_…

It was exhausting.

I couldn't imagine the guilt I would feel _not_ looking for her, though. Despite how much Carol loved that little girl – and I knew that she did, I had seen it daily – I couldn't understand why she wasn't helping us. It did her no good sitting around on her ass; Sophia wouldn't know where that farm was and, if she even stumbled upon it, she wouldn't _know_ her mother was there. It was such a longshot that she would find Hershel's home that I couldn't fathom just… waiting.

If Jake had been lost, wandering the woods… I would be doing the same thing I was doing _now_.

A shudder ran through me at the thought, but I dodged it, swallowing my fear; he was safe. Safe and sound back at the farm, surrounded by plenty of people who could protect him…

Sophia didn't have that luxury right now.

"Sophia!"

Without a word, I slung my crossbow around, tucking it against my shoulder, and dashed into the house, heedless of the threat of walkers. Heart in my throat, I chased after the echoing sound of Daryl's voice, finding him crouched before a small, open cupboard, a ratty blanket in his hand.

Breathless, I pressed my back to the wall, sliding down until I leveled my gaze with the hunter. His bright eyes wide, he held up the blanket and a small, open can of meat, evidence that someone had been there recently. The meat was still moist, meaning it hadn't been open for very long. The Georgia heat would suck whatever moisture it could as quickly as possible.

Someone had eaten it, and not just a walker. They weren't cognizant enough to work the tab open. A living, breathing human had done that.

And it was someone small enough to fit inside the cupboard.

"Sophia!"

Daryl hauled me to my feet, ushering me toward the door, her name bursting from his mouth furiously, desperately. I mimicked him, eyes wild, as I searched the empty fields for any sign of her.

My hunter made a short dash around the house, and, after a moment of his absence, I shot off to find him. He panted as he crouched low to the ground, his hand trailing over a set of small footprints leading away from the house and into what looked like a miniature swamp.

He cursed our luck; there was no way to follow someone's tracks through the puddles and ponds she had trekked through. And, to make matters worse, the sun began waning, dipping back behind the swaying trees.

"Shit," I cursed, scratching fervently at my temple, "Sophia! Sophia, can you hear me?!"

"She's long gone, Kit," Daryl grumbled, hauling himself to his feet, lip curling over his teeth in agitation as he stared hard at the little steps molded into the ground, "these're about a day, day an' a half old. Don't know what made her leave, but she ain't been back."

"She's covered a lot of ground over the last few days," I noted anxiously, peering at the unfamiliar fields around us, "how far do you think she'll be when we pick it back up tomorrow?"

"Not sure," he sighed, toeing at the print with his aged boots, "but we _will_ find her."

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The news we brought back to camp had been enough to instill some cheer into our once dejected group. While some of us argued that we should pick up the trail (which, Daryl argued, was nonexistent and couldn't have been followed if we wanted) where we had left off, the rest agreed that more searchers at dawn would be the best way to go.

Even better was the news that Hershel was letting us stay, if only on the grounds of his farm, for as long it took for Carl to heal up. Rick didn't have much of an answer when I asked him about afterwards, but I knew if anyone could convince the elderly farmer to allow us to stay, it was him.

Shane gave me a warm, lingering hug – one that had me wriggling uncomfortably against his broad chest until he let me go with a sheepish grin – and Dale pressed a kiss to my cheek, assuring me that we had done well.

Carol, holed up in the RV, emerged, clutching to the beer bottle Daryl had stuck one of those pretty Cherokee roses into. She had a soft, distant smile on her face, her eyes searching for the man who had been dedicated enough to find her daughter.

She found him next to me, sitting beside the campfire, digging into a plate of beans after our long day out in the woods. He didn't pay her any mind, muttering through a mouthful that he wanted to take one of Hershel's horses in the morning. He'd be able to cover more ground that way; we should all grab a horse and go off on different directions.

I was all for it, which was quite the opposite of how I felt about Carol's wistful stares.

Daryl had been surprisingly thoughtful to the grieving woman by offering her the rose; it was a symbol, he said, of hope, a clear sign that we would find Sophia in the morning. That she was still out there. That she was safe.

Shooting the hunter a subtle glance, I wondered if he would do that for Jake if he went missing. Immediately, I scolded myself, glancing quickly at my lap in shame. It was enough to catch the man's attention, his knee nudging mine in a silent question.

"Nothing," I replied shortly, "just being stupid."

And stupid it was, thinking that Daryl felt something for Carol. If anything, he felt sorry for her; he had made that clear in his valiant attempts at finding her daughter. But feeling _for_ her… it was laughable, right?

"Right."

Jaw dropping in surprise, I stared up at him in astonishment. Instead of apologizing – for agreeing to my stupidity, no less – he peered over toward Carol, who had taken up a spot beside a tense Lori and made small talk with the sheriff's wife.

"Ain't nothin' there," he responded, his tone gruff for being so low, "you know that. You think I think there's anything goin' on between you an' him?"

He jerked his head toward Shane, who had positioned himself beside Andrea of all people, the pair of them talking in soft, subdued tones.

"I know there ain't, cuz I know you," he continued, shoving another forkful into his mouth and shrugging, "an' you know me."

"I know," I replied, deciding to swallow my sheepishness and lean closer to the man, "you gonna give me any of those?"

He glanced at the fork, and then at me, before smirking and feeding himself. Digging an elbow into his side, I swatted the fork away from his face, laughing at his irritated growl and hauling myself to my feet, "I'm going to bed."

"Keep it warm for me," he replied, shooting a smoldering glance over his shoulder. His laughter at the breathless state he sent me into followed me as I trudged through the darkness and toward our tent.

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Rustling outside of the tent stirred me from my contented slumber. Currently sandwiched between Daryl at my back and Jake curled into my front, I found myself reluctant to crawl out into the cool evening air.

Still, it could have been anything and anything could be a walker.

Hauling myself to my feet, I retrieved my crossbow, drawing it up to my cheek and creeping out into the darkness. A quick survey of the field revealed nothing dead, but someone _was_ creeping around, a dangerous thing in itself.

"Psst!"

She didn't respond, though she certainly heard me. Her brunette hair whipped around as she powered back toward her tent, intent on making it there before me.

Ha, good thing I was closer.

"Lori, what the hell?" I hissed, slinging my crossbow over my shoulder and folding my arms across my chest. Glowering, I stared up at her, waiting for her response.

She refused to look at me, though, her shoulders trembling, her hair covering her face. Something… terrible happened.

"Did… Shane…"

"I'm tired, Cat," she spat, though the venom fell a little short, her voice trembling, "I'm goin' to bed…"

"What's wrong?" I inquired curiously, disconcertedly, "what were you doing out here? It's dangerous; there could be-"

"I'm pregnant."

_Oh shit._

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Sorry it's a little shorter than usual, but I hope you enjoyed! Let me know what you think; I'd love to hear from you all again!

FanFicGirl10: I'm hoping so too! Aw thanks; I love writing them together! Oh yeah, I can't stand her. As you can probably tell haha

Dalonega Noquisi: Thanks! I'm so glad you liked it :D

HChrisH: Haha sorry it took so long to get back! I didn't mean for it to be so long.

Sexy Daryl Luva: I've toyed with the idea! Maybe they will; I plan on going a little off-script in a bit hehehe

Lady Shagging Godiva: It's possible… we'll see in the next chapter, which is my favorite episode, by the way ;D Lol, I'm glad you liked it enough to reread it too haha!

NoirChick: Thanks for all of the reviews! I certainly appreciate it! I hope you like this one, as well!

Bwah: haha idk, he's amazing, though! Hmm, well, for Kit, I would probably say Natalie Portman or a shorter Anne Hathaway haha. Tory, I was thinking Jennifer Lawrence, Danny would maybe be Andrew Garfield, Mike and Jake, well, I'm not sure… I'm not overly familiar with younger actors haha.

xXx Tinkies xXx: We shall see, in the next episode perhaps ;) Sorry it took so long to update though!

JTellersOldLady: thank ya!

Leyshla Gisel: Why thank you Murphette! I hope you enjoyed this one; sorry it's taken so long to get it up. I just busted it out today; I couldn't help myself!

MrsGooglyBear: Thanks! Yes, yes I did and it was amazing! He's so adorable!

Cocoa85715: The cliffhangers are the worst so I apologize for mine! But I'm glad it's on right now hehe.

Hmm: I agree! I love him!

Mariana Lestrange: Why thank you! I certainly appreciate it!

JararSucks: omg thank you! Haha, I'm glad you're liking it so much. I truly appreciate that!

Lily Rose Flower: Here ya go!

Amethiste: Thank you! Hope you enjoy it!

DeDeDe: That would be amazing! Baby Daryl gahhhhh! Haha maybe Merle would become a softie hahaa!

SimplyCurious: I always sort of pictured her like me so short, pale (not anymore cuz of being out in the sun haha), short, wavy chestnut hair, matching eyes. If she was portrayed by an actress, though, probably Natalie Portman with short hair.

Please No: Well, I've been thinking about it. I probably won't, but who knows! Eek!

Colgate Cavity Protection: I'm leaning toward your choice hehe

SabakuNoGaara426: Yes! Isn't it awesome!? And thank you! Glad you're liking it!

YO Misma Me Gusto: Thanks! Haha I love long chapters myself, so I'm glad you're enjoying them!

Ravenclaw Slytherin: Thanks!

x XRoweenaJAugustineX x: Lol, he's back!

Blue Rose 22: Why thank you! Haha I love him too!

Puri-Poke: Oh wow! Thank you so much :D I'm so glad you like Kit; I try to make her an acceptable OC. Ooh, that sounds like a good fic! I want to keep her alive, so we'll see!


	33. Paranoia and Delusions

A/N: Yeah, I'm lame. No updates for months. I'm ridiculous really. But, good news is, I may be getting a new job that will give me ample time to write! So I promise I'll update more quickly! I hope everyone's still out there, ready to read =) I'm actually writing the next chapter as we speak. This one was just getting way too long to keep as one chapter, so I had to break it up lol

A/N 2: I know, this is cheesy, but I'm gonna promote my books anyway. I have ebooks available to buy on Amazon! Pretty cheap and good stories. Romance, supernatural, fantasy stuff. I promise they're good reads ;) So please check them out; the names are on my profile, so please take a minute to look.

Disclaimer: I don't own _the Walking Dead_, but I miss it terribly. I can't wait 'til the next season!

Chapter Twenty-Seven: Paranoia and Delusions

"_I'm pregnant."_

Oh shit.

I couldn't get Lori's admission out of my head. She was pregnant.

_Pregnant._

At any other time, it would have been a blessing (for me, anyway; wasn't sure on her thoughts, especially when I knew full well that it could have been Shane's baby for as often as they went at it), but _now_? In this apocalyptic world?

Where walkers were attracted to blood, to the slightest sound? A baby would be…

I shuddered to think of the dangers Lori was putting herself in. What she was putting _all of us_ in. Sure, we could protect ourselves, but a pregnant woman? An infant?

_Shit_.

I hadn't gotten a wink of sleep after she spilled the beans, and I doubted she had either. I returned to my tent in a sort of daze, eyes wide, mouth agape. When I curled up in Daryl's arms once more, I lay, staring at the tent, my mind racing at the daunting challenge at Lori's feet.

Dawn approached before I realized it, the sky growing lighter and lighter, shifting from a dark to a pale blue, then pink, then orange, then yellow. Before I knew it, the sun was up.

And so was my hunter.

He had gotten a good night's sleep, inhaling deeply against my neck and tickling the skin there with his exhale. A tremor ran through me and the slightest of smirks crept across his face, the corner of his mouth twitching upward against the nape of my neck.

His hand strayed, trailing up along my leg, his warm fingers drifting beneath my shirt, "Mornin', Kit."

I hummed in response, my lids growing heavy as his ministrations eased me into a far more relaxed state than I had been all night. He pressed a few warm, lingering kisses to my shoulder, my jaw, the sensitive skin behind my ear.

He could have continued; I wouldn't have stopped him. But there was too much to get done today – namely finally finding Sophia – and he couldn't dawdle.

But, God, did I wish he would.

Lori's admission echoed in my mind, though, and I quickly rolled away from his grasp, a hand to my jaw as I viciously scrubbed away the feeling of his soft lips, his prickly stubble. He sat himself up slowly beside me, eyes never leaving my suddenly agitated form as he attempted to assess why in God's name I had shunned him so abruptly.

He knew I loved when he kissed me, when he woke me like that.

Was it because Jake was there? Maybe, but I wouldn't have been so cold. I would have run a hand through his hair, my voice no more than a whisper as I asked him not to. Not until later, when Jake had opted to spend the night in Danny's tent. He would agree and I would offer him a shy smile, complete with an apologetic kiss.

So why was I trying to rid myself of the feeling I enjoyed so much?

I didn't tell him. How could I? 'I don't want to have sex with you, Daryl, cuz I could get pregnant. I don't want to be pregnant in the apocalypse. I don't think I could survive…'

But what if I was already pregnant? We had had sex how many times before? Unprotected. Condoms hadn't been one of my top priorities when I was scavenging; I had warned Danny and Tory and Riley not to even _think_ about sex. It was dangerous in this world; there were too many problems, too many threats.

And then I go off with Daryl and sleep with the guy how many times? Never once bothering to think of the consequences?

_When was my last period?! _I panicked, eyes flitting about the tent wildly, as though the canvas walls were a calendar and I could count the days off, _when was it? It was… three weeks ago? I don't know; I don't remember. I don't even know what day it is… Maybe it's been a month? Two months? I don't know, I don't know, I don't-_

Standing abruptly, I hastened from the tent without a word, inhaling heavily when I hit the open air. I kept an ear on the occupants behind me, wondering if Daryl would call after me, but he didn't. He wouldn't.

Of course he cared, but my cold shoulder had thrown him for a loop. He would be pissed, I knew, especially if I were unwilling to tell him (and I couldn't exactly tell him without throwing Lori under the bus or worrying the hell out of him).

Raking a hand through my hair, I moved quickly through camp, now unconcerned by the sight of Shane lingering outside of the Grimes' tent. I had more important things to worry about than Lori's creepy stalker.

Making my way to the RV, I glanced haphazardly at T-Dog as he sat atop the vehicle. He sent me a short wave, receiving little more than a frazzled grin in response, but didn't bother questioning me. He knew me well enough by now to know when I was on a mission.

Climbing into the stifling vehicle, I searched wildly for that silly little calendar Dale kept pinned above the sink. My eyes caught sight of it immediately, my feet hastening toward the yellowing paper before I knew it.

He had been meticulous about keeping track of the days, Dale had. He crossed out each one that passed us by, each one we had _survived_, with a dying black Sharpie. It would run out soon, but for now it did the trick. I followed the stark X's until I found today's date. Or yesterday's.

"Dale," I called out, peering over my shoulder as I waited for the old man's arrival. He didn't keep me waiting for long, appearing out of the bedroom with hasty steps, his dark brows pinched low over his eyes.

"Cat?" he inquired, his bird-like gaze sweeping over my fidgeting form, "what's wrong? Are you alright?"

"Fine," I replied distractedly, fighting the blush that worked its way to my face. I was always an open book when it came to my face; if he knew I was embarrassed, he would push the issue, I could guarantee it.

As helpful as Dale was, he was rather nosy.

"Is this today or yesterday?"

My finger rested against the first unmarred box on the calendar, drawing an imaginary X on it as I awaited his response. He peered at it, running a hand through his beard before nodding to himself, "That's today. I marked off yesterday already. Why?"

I ignored him, though, eyes narrowing as my mind worked double time to calculate the days. It didn't work, though; it had been too long since I needed to keep track of the time. Biting the tip of my tongue, I queried, forcing my tone to be as blasé as possible, "When did we leave camp? How long has it been?"

Dale studied the calendar for a moment, pointing out a tiny sad face in the corner of a Monday three weeks prior, "Then. Three weeks from yesterday. Why? Are you alright, Cat? You seem a little anxious. Is everything alright with you and Daryl?"

Sighing softly, relieved, I shook my head, grateful that my period hadn't come late. I still had time. I wasn't pregnant. I wasn't sentenced to death, not like-

"We're fine," I swallowed thickly, suddenly sorry for the sheriff's wife. She hadn't asked for this to happen. I had seen the sorrow on her face the night before; the haunted look in her eyes. She knew what would happen if she brought a baby into the world. Without modern medicine, without the safety, the cleanliness of a hospital, without a trained hand to help get that baby out…

"He looks a little irritated."

At Dale's suspicious words, I peered through the small window, catching sight of my hunter immediately. The set of his jaw, the tightness in his shoulders, the murderous glint in those baby blues of his…

"Nah, Dale, he's not irritated," I replied with a disgruntled sigh, "he's pissed."

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With one weight lifted from my shoulders, another immediately settled. Daryl hadn't spoken two words to me since my panicked dismissal of him in the tent. He ignored my glances, seethed when I said his name… he even went so far as to buddy up with Danny and Riley when he saw me coming.

_Bastard_, I grumbled, rolling my eyes skyward as he fell into step with Rick and Shane, a map in the sheriff's hands. Though I couldn't really blame him, I still wanted to hit him upside the head. He was too short-tempered for his own good, quick to judge and equally quick to throw his defenses up.

If he even gave me the chance to explain, the likelihood of him accepting my apology was bordering on slim to none.

Even still, I approached the trio, sticking closer to Rick than the others for obvious reasons. It only caused Daryl's glower to deepen, though, and he turned his attention away from me. Instead, he watched with those silent, observant eyes of his as T-Dog, Andrea, Danny, and Jimmy approached.

"So what's the plan?"

Rick pursed his lips, unrolling the map atop the hood of one of the cars, smoothing it out with a hand and hunkering over the aged paper. I stepped forward, eyes flitting across the marked map. It was clear that he had done his best to note where we had already searched and where exactly we would need to go next.

A smile stretched across my face, a hand to Rick's shoulder; he was just as determined to find the little girl as Daryl and I.

He offered me a sidelong grin, his lips tipping quickly into a frown when Daryl let out an unnecessarily vicious growl, "Where th' hell do you think _you're _goin'?"

Momentarily perplexed, I realized he hadn't been talking to the sheriff, but Jimmy. The teen cowed beneath Daryl's monstrous glower, eyeing the hunter's bulging muscles apprehensively (the complete opposite of my appreciative one), but schooled the tremor in his voice as best he could, "I talked to Hershel. He said it was fine if I go. I know the area, so, ya know-"

"Hershel didn't say anything to me…"

Rick's comment drew a number of stares and the young boy rubbed his jaw in awkward silence, his eyes darting along the ground as he sought out an excuse.

"You ever fought walkers before?" T-Dog inquired, fisting his hands on his wide hips, his brows pinched upward in disbelief as he regarded the slim wisp of a boy.

Honestly, you couldn't judge a killer by their size. I shook my head, feeling mildly sorry for the boy, _Do _I _look like I can take down a walker?_

I didn't, but I couldn't help him. I wouldn't come to his defense; if he hadn't fought walkers, we didn't have the time to protect him. If I were looking for Sophia and something happened to him…

So I zipped my lip when the others quickly shut down his involvement, offering him only a pitying smile when his wide eyes sought mine for help.

"Saw some horses earlier," Daryl commented suddenly, "I'm gonna take one up on this ridge," he gestured toward the spot on the map. The area was close to where we had found the abandoned house, where we had found traces of Sophia. "Could see her better from up there."

"We don't have permission for that," Rick replied with a shake of his head, scratching his jaw and wiping the sweat from his forehead with the back of his hand, "we can't act like we own the place. We're here on borrowed time; we do anything Hershel doesn't approve of – includin' takin' Jimmy with us – an' he's likely to kick us off his property."

"It'll make things easier, though," I frowned, "you'd think he wouldn't mind. I could ask-"

Daryl muttered something that sounded suspiciously like, _'don't need any o' your help,'_ but I didn't bother to correct him. Andrea and I simply shared an unimpressed eye roll (men and their resistance to asking for help, I swear), but I patted Rick's shoulder once more and muttered, "I'm gonna ask…"

Before I strayed too far, though, I rounded on Daryl, jerking a threatening finger in his direction, "Don't even _think _about leaving without me."

His lip curling and his eyes narrowing, he seethed beneath the hot Georgia sun, retorting irritably, "Don't tempt me, woman."

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Hershel wasn't hard to find, though I wasn't quite sure how to broach the subject of nabbing a few of his horses (I hadn't been kidding when I told Daryl not to leave me; I would hunt him down if he slipped away without my notice). I hadn't even been properly introduced to the man and, here I was, prepared to abscond with a couple of his few remaining farm animals.

He was around my grandfather's age, probably seventy-three, seventy-four if I had to guess. He had deep-set eyes and a kindly smile, extending his hand as I called his name in a questioning manner. Enveloping mine with both of his, he grinned down at me, dark eyes twinkling in the light filtering through the kitchen window, "Rick explained to me who you were. It's nice to meet you, Cat. Is there anything I can do for you?"

His voice was kind, deep and smooth like molasses. Immediately, I took a liking to him and smiled despite my sheepishness, "Well, I wanted to ask you something."

"And what might that be?"

"Daryl and I are going to go looking for Sophia again," I explained, "Carol's daughter. The little girl that went missing."

He nodded, a frown tugging at his wrinkled mouth as he dipped his head and sighed, "I heard about that. Horrible thing to have happened."

"I know. And we've been looking everywhere for her. We wanted to check out the ridge, though, and it's gonna be hard to get there without a ride… Daryl said you have some horses…"

"I'd love to help you, Cat, but I can't afford to let you take those horses from this farm," he replied with an apologetic sigh. When I went to plead my case, he lifted a hand, silencing me before I could say a word. "I know it would help you, but they're too valuable. I need those horses. If we can't use 'em for work, we can still use 'em for food."

"We don't expect to lose them, Hershel."

"No one ever does," he stated, offering me a rather poignant frown, tipping his head, "but you can't assume anything out there. If you get separated from those horses, if they get eaten by those things…"

"We won't let anything happen," I assured him wholeheartedly, eyes wide, pleading; I had a good puppy-dog look, right? I could convince him, right? I'd been known to worm my way out of sticky situations with that look. "If we do, we'll repay you somehow."

"How can you repay me for two strong work horses?"

"I'll do the plowing myself, if I have to," I replied hastily, causing a chuckle to escape the old veterinarian despite himself, "but we won't lose them. Please, Hershel; we just wanna find that little girl."

A moment or so passed before he finally answered, tugging on his belt loops as he released a heavy sigh, "I suppose I'll let ya take them. Today only; I won't risk 'em more than once. You understand? You have 'til dusk to bring them back. If you don't find the girl today, you'll have to go on foot."

"I understand," I grinned, flinging my arms around him before I could help myself. He laughed, patting my back and accepting my thank-you's humbly.

He held me out at arm's length, shaking his head and musing with a warm smile, "You remind me of my daughters, Cat. Be careful out there, alright? It's a dangerous world out there."

Understatement of the century.

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Daryl was already hitching a horse when I approached the solitary hunter in the field. Where he had gotten the supplies, I could only imagine, but I didn't bother questioning him, instead announcing my presence (which I was certain he was already aware of), "You're not stealing that, are you?"

"Borrowin'," he replied tersely, adjusting the saddle strap beneath the chestnut beast's belly. He didn't bother sparing me a glance, his tone gruff, unfriendly, his broad shoulders tensed in agitation.

"Stealing," I supplied, "doesn't matter, though. He said we could take two of 'em. We have 'em 'til dusk. After that, it's all on foot."

"I'm gonna find her today, so it don't matter."

"_Must_ you be so goddamn _hostile_?" I inquired conversationally, smirking to myself when he rounded on me, his gaze hostile, burning, his knuckles white as he clenched his fists to keep from lashing out. "I was a bitch this morning, I get it. I know. I, er, something hit me outta the blue this morning and I was freaking out, so-"

"No, really?" he interrupted with a growl, lip curling and nostrils flaring as he pinned me with a dangerous scowl, "why don't you go tell Dale what's the matter? Or Rick? Hell, maybe you should just talk ta that damn farmer; cry on his shoulder. Sure as hell ain't doin' that with me…"

_But you want me to…_

It was there, on the tip of my tongue.

_Jealousy doesn't become you. But it fits you._

Daryl Dixon envied the fact that (apparently) I went to other men and told them of my problems before him.

"Yeah, well, I don't wanna tell any of them what's the matter," I replied, lips pursed in agitation, scanning the field for my own steed, "nothing's the matter anymore. Trust me. It was just me being paranoid. I didn't talk to Dale, for the record. Just had to look at something in the RV."

"You're bein' too damn vague, Kit," he ground from between clenched teeth, letting out a loud, sharp whistle toward the empty field before returning his attention to me, "somethin' was wrong. What was it?"

I wanted to deflect, to change the subject, but stoking Daryl's ire wasn't something I was altogether interested in doing. Chewing on the tip of my tongue, I eventually – reluctantly – stated, "I was just checking the days. I wanted to know-," _when Jake's birthday was? Nah, too suspicious… he's gonna know…,_ "when my last period was, alright? I-I thought I might be late, but I'm not. Should be in a few days. So no worries."

If he wouldn't have flipped his shit, I could have laughed at the ridiculously uncomfortable grimace on the younger Dixon's face. He wasn't blushing, but his spine stiffened until it was ramrod straight, a flurry of emotions, of expressions flitting across his grimacing face.

Obviously he hadn't expected anything like that.

He scratched at the nape of his neck, his chin, his head, attempting to come up with something – _anything _– but the words weren't coming. Despite the annoyance he had caused me with his bullheaded behavior, I took pity on the hunter and stepped forward. He shied away from me only momentarily, like a cornered cat, but I cupped my hand around the nape of his neck and drew him toward me.

Molding my lips to his, I tugged lightly at his bearded chin and queried softly, "You gonna let me come?"

His eyes darkened with lust, as I'd hoped they would, and I knew all was forgiven.

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"Fuck!"

"_Daryl!_ Daryl! Oh God…"

My descent down the hill was a lot less violent than my hunter's, but the risk of sliding, of pitching forward and rolling head over ass down to the valley below was high. Even still, I moved as hastily as I could, reaching out and catching hold of a tree when my feet threatened to give out beneath me.

Water splashed up as I ran, soaking into my clothes, but I couldn't pay it any mind. My heart pounded wildly, painfully, against my chest, nausea running through me as I raced toward Daryl's side.

He was groaning, pushing himself from the riverbed, a hand to his side and a wounded grimace on his face. He turned away from me, hoping to hide his injury from sight, brows pulled low over his eyes as he yelled angrily, "Stay over there, Kit! Don't-_agh!_"

If anything, my footsteps quickened, my legs now carrying me full-tilt toward the bloodied man. Bile rose to my throat as I watched the crimson pool in the crystalline water at his feet; how badly had he been hurt?

"What happened?!"

He swatted at me, turning away in an attempt to shield his wound from sight, but I hit him hard in the shoulder and maneuvered myself around him. There, sticking from his side, was one of his bolts.

"Shit."

Swallowing thickly, I stretched a trembling hand toward the shaft, retracting my fingers at the last minute as he flinched and swore under his breath. His jaw clenched, a hard glint to his eyes as he stared silently down at the wound, "I need to get it out."

"No," I caught his hand, tearing at the hem of my shirt, "not until we get back. Let Hershel take it out… If you do it now…"

"I'd bleed out," he agreed, another curse slipping from me as he allowed me to wrap his torso with the cloth, attempting to position it around the arrow. When I couldn't manage it – my hands hadn't stilled and I didn't want to jar the bolt and injure him further – he brushed his fingers against mine and finished it himself. He frowned, grimacing silently, before peering up at the thirty foot incline we'd fallen from. "Gotta get ourselves back up that hill."

"No way out of here?"

"Nah," he grunted, peering around the riverbed, his sharp eyes scanning the mud for any child-sized tracks, "this ridge goes on for miles. No way we'd get back by nightfall. 'Specially without those horses."

"Looks like I'm pulling Hershel's plows now," I frowned, catching the side of his face and pressing a hand to his temple. He hissed and jerked his head away, eying the crimson on my hand with distaste, but allowed me to brush some of the blood that had trickled from the wound on his forehead from his face. "Bet that hurts like a bitch."

"Horses'll find their way back," the hunter replied instead, unconcerned by the wound, unconcerned for _himself_. If there were any sign of Sophia, the wounds would be worth it; though he wouldn't say it aloud, I knew he felt it.

Nodding silently, I ran my knuckles along my lower lip and scoured the surrounding forest for any sign of the little girl, "Think she could be down here?"

Daryl lifted a shoulder, distracted by a few prints beside a fallen log, before musing belatedly, "Could be. Just don't know. These, though…"

I jogged to his side, hands on my knees as I leaned closer to the tracks. There were some, small enough to be a child's, but not conclusive enough for either of us. Hell, _I _had small feet; could've been anyone.

"_SOPHIA!_"

His voice rang through the trees, echoing before falling silent. Birds were the only creatures to return our call, their chirps and tweets bright, cheery, oblivious to our concern. Not a single, solitary movement caught my eye as I swept my gaze quickly over every inch of the forest that I could. If only I could see a flash of blue, a mop of dirty blonde hair…

But there was nothing.

Daryl wasn't one to succumb to his injuries outwardly, but I could hear the hitch in his breath the longer we waited. He needed medical attention – and quick.

Sophia would have to wait.

I was torn, but I knew that, if I could get him back to camp quickly, there was a chance maybe Rick and I could resume the hunt in this neck of the woods. Patting Daryl's stomach, I gestured toward the hill and sighed, "Let's go."

He nodded, a reluctant frown tugging at his pink lips, a hand on the small of my back as we made our way to the incline. He scoffed when I swept my arm forward, ignoring my offer to let him go first.

"You kiddin'?" he queried with a disbelieving laugh, "I fall an' I'll take you down with me."

"But if I go first, I can't grab you…"

"Just go, Kit," he replied, shaking his head and giving me a boost when my feet refused to cooperate, "I'll be right b'hind you."

So we began to climb. It was difficult for me; I could only imagine how much Daryl was struggling to pull his wounded self up along the steep, slanted hill.

Latching on to whatever I could, I found myself casting near continuous glances over my shoulder, reassuring myself that he was actually there. That he hadn't fallen when I wasn't looking.

"Keep that up an' you'll lose your grip, woman," he grumbled, a hand straying up to swat my ass, to spur me on.

"Keep _that_ up an' I'll kick you back down, Daryl."

He released a huffing laugh but didn't slap me again. I was almost to the top when a soft, hoarse voice called, "Cat?!"

So startled was I that I nearly lost my grip. Daryl wasn't so lucky.

His name tore from my lips in a scream, my eyes wild as I stared over my shoulder as the hunter tumbled back down the hill. He hit more than one tree as he fell, a cry escaping him as the arrow penetrated deeper into his side.

"Shit!"

"Cat!"

The source of the voice was one that had a bubble of hysterical laughter bursting from my lips despite Daryl's fall. Turning my head skyward, I saw a small, round face surrounded by a curtain of dirty blonde hair. Bright eyes stared down at me, tears pouring from them and splattering across my face.

"Sophia?"

Her name escaped me in a breathless gasp, confusion and incredulity coating my tone. She half-laughed, half-sobbed, reaching for me from the edge of the cliff.

"No, no, no; stay there," I breathed, waving a hand to stop her, to shoo her from the dangerous slope, "just… don't move."

"What if there are walkers?" she inquired woefully, rubbing the tears from her eyes and smearing the dirt across her cheeks. She wanted to reach for me again, I knew, but did as I told her and scooted away from the edge.

Reaching for my waist, I grabbed my pistol and winged it at her. She ducked in time, scrambling for it as I ground out, "_Shoot it_."

Without another word, I ignored her pleas to stop, to keep me from leaving her side, and descended once more. My focus was now torn between the girl I still had trouble believing we'd found and the man lying motionless in the river.

"Daryl," I muttered, anxiety ripping through me as a walker stumbled into view, making his way for the bloodied heap of a man on the shore. My heart lodged itself in my throat as I released the thick root I clung to; too breathless to scream, I tumbled the final twenty feet, bashing my head against the ground with a sickening thud.

Stars exploded before my eyes, my head spinning as I struggled to get to my feet. I tripped several times, opting instead to half-run, half-crawl toward Daryl. The walker was just about on him, its decaying arms outstretched, fingers curled to dig into my lover's flesh.

Curses flew from my lips as I stumbled toward him, dipping a hand into the water and scouring the riverbed for any sign of a weapon. A rock was the only thing I could find; I didn't bother examining it as the walker descended on Daryl.

I thought he'd been bitten, been sure of it, when he stirred, shoving the walker away from him weakly. He grabbed a massive stick, winging it at the bloodied monster with all his might and bashing its head in.

The walker fell even as I grabbed the body, dragging it away from my hunter. He yelled out, a finger jerking behind me; spinning on a heel, I raised the rock, two hands necessary to properly lift the thing, and brought it down over another walker's head.

The blood and gore from its skull coated me, splattered across my face, my mouth. I groaned, wiping it away with a sleeve, and rounded on Daryl. The hunter paid me no mind, aiming his bow and – a bolt? – at something up on the ridge.

I almost screamed at him, arms waving wildly as I imagined him taking aim at Sophia; I needn't have bothered, though, as the hunter let loose the only remaining bolt. The arrow lodged itself deeply, squarely in the skull of a walker stumbling toward a trembling Sophia.

He collapsed then, dropping to one knee as the crossbow clattered from his grasp. He cupped a hand around the wound in his side, now devoid of the bolt he'd accidentally imbedded into himself.

Gaping, I hastened forward, pressing my hand over his and reeling, "You- Daryl, did you…"

"All I had left," he replied grimly, swaying slightly at the pain I knew must have been overwhelming. He looked awful, covered in blood and gore from the walker he'd brained, not to mention his own wounds, but I couldn't have been more relieved. Throwing my arms around him, I attempted to be gentle, failing miserably when I squeezed him to my chest.

"Thank God," I kissed his forehead, his cheek, his jaw, tugging him toward the hill, "she's alright, Daryl. She's alive."

He was about as stunned as I, even though he had already saved her life in the five minutes she had returned, staring at the blonde child as she clung to a tree trunk. Her eyes never left his, her whimper audible even from the riverbed.

"You alright?" he called, leaning rather heavily on me as we worked our way up the base of the cliff.

She could only nod, a nervous giggle escaping her as she glanced hastily around her, "Could you hurry? I don't see anymore, but-"

"We're coming, Soph," I smiled, crawling with renewed vigor up the hill, throwing over my shoulder teasingly, "you think you're falling, you grab onto me, okay?"

Daryl flipped me off, unconcerned that a child had seen the offensive action, his moves slow, jerky, tedious. But he was damn determined to make it up that hill. To grab that girl and drag her back to her mother.

I reached the top first, gathering Sophia in my arms and hugging her just as tightly as I had my hunter. Tears welled in my eyes, dripping steadily into her dirty hair, as I cried, "You're real. You're here! You found us!"

She couldn't speak, too overwhelmed by the safety Daryl and I provided, clinging to me like a baby sloth. I tried to dislodge her if only to help my hunter up the cliff, but she refused to let up. Running my fingers through her hair, I kissed her forehead and smiled weakly, "You need to let go. I have to help Daryl."

She glanced at the struggling hunter, red-faced and runny-nosed, but did as I asked and released her grasp. She kept a hand on my back, though, as though removing her touch from me completely would make the pair of us disappear.

"Yeah, you better run!"

The threat caught me off guard, but I knelt at the cliff's edge and caught Daryl's hand as he hauled himself toward the top. With more than a little effort (he was a heavy sunnuvabitch) on my part, I helped him up, allowing him to collapse on top of me without much complaint.

He panted heavily, sweat coating his brow, lying motionlessly atop me for a moment or two as he attempted to regain his breath.

"Daryl?"

His head snapped up at Sophia's timid call, his blue eyes wide, bright, as he regarded the child we'd worked so hard to find. He hauled himself off of me with a hiss, catching her with one arm and dragging him into his chest.

Falling back against the dirt, I let out a joyous, tearful laugh.

WALKINGDEADWALKINGDEADWALKINGDEAD

It was a long trek back to the farm, but with Sophia in our company, there was more than a little spring in my step. She chattered almost nonstop, her voice hoarse but excited as she questioned us on the rest of our group.

I answered her questions as best I could, keeping an eye on Daryl as he limped heavily beside me. He had declined my offer to let him lean on me, his eyes flitting to Sophia more often than not.

He couldn't believe it.

Neither could I, in all honesty. I was certain that she would disappear in a puff of smoke, a figment of my imagination, spurred on by the intense desire to find her. I kept a hand on her shoulder, partially to force her to keep up the pace and partially to reassure myself that she was alive and well.

"Is there food on the farm? How's Carl? I hope he's alright. Is Jake there?"

"Yep," I laughed, "he's alright. He's healing. Jake's there, too. Everyone's there."

We emerged in a clearing, the same field where we had found the horses. The crickets and cicadas sang, not a single grunt or groan from an approaching walker drawing my attention. I could see the beautiful white farmhouse and the barn, a figure I couldn't quite decipher standing atop the RV.

Daryl stalked forward at my side, our steps slow and measured. I reached for him when he stumbled, but even that movement was sluggish. There was no doubt in my mind that, after stuffing some food in my mouth, I'd hit the sack and be out like a light in minutes.

Suddenly, there was a shout from the farm, distracting me from my hunter. Four men ran at us, distinguishable even from the distance between us. Rick, Shane, Glenn, and T-Dog raced forward, brandishing weapons and screaming obscenities.

Rick was the first to realize who we were, though he didn't drop his gun in confusion.

Daryl glowered, panting and spitting, "This is the third time you pointed a gun at my head. You gonna pull the trigger or what?"

Rick immediately lowered the gun, the others following en suite. Rick gaped at us, Shane making a shitty-ass comment on our appearance, before the sheriff dropped to his knees and gathered Sophia in his arms.

Before I could blink, Daryl's flew backwards, the impact of the bullet hitting his head throwing him to the ground.

All I could do was scream.

WALKINGDEADWALKINGDEADWALKINGDEAD

So, thank you all for reading. Please review; I don't know if anyone is still out there reading this! Let me know what you think, what you feel… Tell me what you thought of this season of TWD!

Leyshla Gisel: Haha yes I did! I missed them too =(

Dalonega Noquisi: Haha thank you! I missed it, too! I always think about it! Yes, I have some awesome ideas for some conflict between Carol and Kit, mwahahahaha. Haha thanks; Daryl is super perceptive so I figured he would realize what she was upset about.

Locolito0me: Thanks! Sorry it took so long for me to update again =/

Cellardoor0789: Thanks so much! I really appreciate it

Zelda Zonkk: haha aww thank you! Yeah, I definitely did get bogged down. And bogged down again! Haha Shane can get incredibly creepy, especially later on. Aww thank you! Daryl is sometimes hard to write, so I'm glad I managed to do it. Yes! I'm glad you like Kit; I love writing her. Your compliments are making me blush teehee

xXx Tinkies xXx: Haha thank you! I couldn't not let them find her! I thought about it, but I knew I had to stray off-script. Sorry I didn't update right away. But I promise I'm working on the next chapter as we speak lol!

FanFicGirl10: Haha she definitely needs to go. I can't stand her.

No control16: Thank you! =) Yeah, I had to get Daryl to stay away from Carol; I'm not a Caryl shipper. Or a Bethyl one for that matter lol

MaddyMarie1212: hahahaha she certainly is an annoying bitch! She never wanted to help find Sophia and I can't stand that.

Mariana Lestrange: No problem!

Jeanf: thank you! I'm glad you think so! Yeah, he would definitely be the jealous type haha

RayeRobins: I wish I did, too! Life keeps getting in the way, but I'll be trying to update more often.

MrsKasparVarn: Why thank you! Glad you're liking it!

Deedle2226: Aww haha thank ya!

Guest777: Thanks lol


	34. Tensions

As promised, here's the next chapter! Did you like the last chapter? I did hehehee. Oh, just so you know, there's gonna be some Carol bashing in this chappie lol. So I apologize if you like Carol, but for those of you who don't – enjoy! I used a little bit of comic-Carol for inspiration on this one hahaha

P.S., how are you enjoying Season 5? I'm loving it :D

Disclaimer: I don't own TWD. If I did, I would own Norman Reedus, and that would be glorious indeed. Not to mention I'd have Andy, too. Ahhh…

Chapter Twenty-Eight: Tensions

_Before I could blink, Daryl's flew backwards, the impact of the bullet hitting his head throwing him to the ground. _

_All I could do was scream. _

He was dead. He had to be. He got shot in the head.

Dropping to my knees, my exhaustion fled in an instant, replaced with adrenaline and fear. My hands flew to Daryl's shoulders, my arms straining as I rolled him onto his back. He was unconscious, his eyes snapped shut, as blood dribbled from the wound on his forehead.

Tearing at my shirt, I pressed the cloth to his forehead, slapping his face lightly as I called his name, "Daryl! Daryl, c'mon, wake up! Wake up!" My panicked gaze shifted to Rick, who fell to the ground beside me, examining the wounded hunter with a frown. "Is he alright? Tell me he's not dead, Rick."

The sheriff pressed two fingers to his neck, silent, focused, as he waited for something. Anything.

"_Is he dead!?_"

Andrea came flying toward us, flinging herself toward us, her wild blue gaze pinned on Daryl, "Is he alright?! I didn't kill him, did I?"

"You better hope not," I rounded on her, seething up at the blonde with a vicious glower. Rage filled me as I made to rise to my feet, my clenched fists trembling, my ire focused solely on the woman who may or may not have killed my lover. "You better fucking hope not."

"I'm sorry," she breathed, tears welling in her eyes as her gaze dashed from me to Daryl, "sorry. I'm so sorry, Cat…"

Rick rested a hand on my shoulder, firm and heavy, squeezing softly and drawing my rage away from the blonde. His soft blue eyes grabbed mine, his brows high on his forehead as he reassured me, "He's alive, Cat. He'll be alright. He'll survive."

"Thank God," I breathed, draping myself over Daryl's chest, my ear to his thudding heart, my lips molding to his collarbone, ignoring the grime and muck, "we gotta get him back up there. Hershel can sew him up, right?"

"Yeah, Cat," Rick smiled, patting my cheek and laughing, "yeah, Hershel can stitch him up. He'll be good as new in a day, maybe two. C'mon, guys," he rounded on the others, "help me get him to th' house."

T-Dog and Glenn immediately grabbed up the fallen hunter, Shane hanging back as the men toted him hastily toward the house. Andrea grabbed onto my arm, pleading, begging me to forgive her.

I shook her off, hauling myself to my feet and turning toward the forgotten girl behind me, "You alright, hon?"

Though two clean streaks had trekked their way from her eyes down to her chin, but she nodded despite her fear. Her wide eyes drifted after the men, her brow pitching upward in concern, "How bad is he hurt?"

"He'll be fine," Shane assured her with a laugh, patting her head and ruffling her hair with a heavy hand. She ducked away from him, but smiled anyway, flinging her arms around his waist. She giggled as he hoisted her into the air and spun her; he grinned broadly at me and queried, "You mind if I take her up to the house?"

Shaking my head, I allowed the ex-deputy to tote Sophia up to the farmhouse, where I knew her mom would be beside herself upon finding her daughter alive.

Rolling my eyes, I tugged Andrea after them, praying she would stop sobbing into my shoulder and let me find some damn food.

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I sat beside Daryl, my feet propped up on his bed as he slept off his injuries. His head was bound, as was his side and the various other wounds he'd collected in the last eight hours. A plate of food rested atop my lap, the fork twirled absently between two fingers.

Carol and Lori had made dinner as a thank-you for Hershel allowing us to stay at the farm. It was meat of some sort, and eggs. They actually had chickens on the farm and they were producing eggs at a rapid rate, apparently. That's what Beth said, anyway.

She had come to check up on me after her father had checked out my own injuries, two plates in hand as she smiled shyly and offered them both to me. She was a nice girl, as were the others on the farm, but she was quiet. Naïve. She hadn't been off the farm since it all started and she was sure it wasn't as bad as the rest of us thought.

That's what she said, anyway.

_Little daft, I think…_

Daryl hadn't stirred despite the smell of freshly cooked meat, but the plate sat beside him on the nightstand anyway. It would be there when he awoke; hell, I'd feed him myself if I had to. That man deserved a good meal after all the shit he went through just to find Sophia.

"How's he doing?"

Peering up at the threshold, I stared at the pair that had wandered through the massive house to find us. Jake and Sophia stood side-by-side and I fought the urge to blink twice and clear my vision of the girl that shouldn't have been there. She had been gone for so damn long that it was strange to see her amongst the rest of us. And she didn't seem terribly scarred; jumpy, yes, and malnourished for sure, but she could still smile. Actually, I think I'd seen her smile more in the last few hours than I had in our entire stay at the quarry. She was so relieved to be back, to be in her mother's arms, to have food and shelter and water, to be free from the constant threat of walkers…

How she had managed to be so damn resourceful for a kid growing up, sheltered but abused, in the city, I'd never know. Maybe when Carol stopped swooping in every few seconds to drag her away from the rest of us, I'd ask her.

"He's alright," I replied with a soft smile, shifting the plate away from me to lean toward the hunter. I brushed his bangs from his face, grinning as he shied away from me and buried his face in the pillow. "Still a jacka- _errr_, still a turd. Like always."

Sophia giggled and followed Jake as he moved into the room, the two of them staring down at Daryl in interest.

"How are you feeling, Cat?" my brother inquired, hopping onto my lap and taking my now empty plate from me. Sophia followed quickly, hopping onto my other knee, the pair of them leaning into my hold and watching Daryl for any sign of life.

He snorted, causing Sophia to giggle, consequently waking the hunter. He skinned a dangerous eye at the little girl, but didn't bother complaining; seeing the once terrified child beaming calmed even the temperamental Daryl.

"There anythin' to eat?"

His voice was hoarse, so I opted for the water first. He grumbled the entire way as I helped him sit up, accepting the cup and glowering as I maintained a hold on it. Lifting a shoulder, I replied, unfazed, "Don't give me that look. Think you can hold it yourself, go ahead and try."

He didn't, but that didn't mean he couldn't glower at me or his own helplessness.

"Thank you for lookin' for me, Daryl," Sophia piped up suddenly, her tone soft, sleepy. A quick glance told me she was dozing off in my hold and, despite the fact that I couldn't feel my legs, I refused to usher either her or my brother off of me. "Thank you for findin' me."

"You found us, girl," he muttered gruffly, wiping the water from his mouth and skinning an eye at the plate by his side, "you were smart. Strong. You did good."

Masking my grin by pressing my face to my brother's soft hair, I beamed at the hunter's words. It would do Sophia good, hearing how proud he was of her. How proud we _all _were of the little girl for finding her way back to us.

"Sophia? Sophia?"

Carol peered into the room, a relieved grin stretching across her face as she stared down at her daughter wrapped up in my arms. There was a tightness around her eyes, a tension in her shoulders, and she rubbed her arm uncomfortably. Her voice was decidedly cool when she announced, "Sophia, you should come to bed. It's getting late."

"Alright," Sophia replied rather reluctantly, clambering out of my hold. She wrapped her arms around my neck, pecking my cheek and whispering, "I love you, Cat."

_Uh, right._

"Love you, too, kid," I offered her the slightest of smiles, patting her back and nodding toward a now frowning Carol, "better go with your mom, 'kay?"

She nodded, making her way toward Daryl and climbing onto the bed. He flinched away from her when she got too close, but froze when she pressed a kiss to his cheek, murmuring something into his ear.

He didn't reply, but nodded all the same, offering her a half-hearted smirk.

Carol regarded us almost icily, apprehensively, before murmuring through clenched teeth, "Thank you again for finding her, Daryl."

Turning quickly, she ushered Sophia from the room, leaving Daryl to scowl angrily after her. He turned his attention to me, wondering why I hadn't snapped at the woman for her obnoxious behavior.

_Not worth it, _I mouthed, gesturing instead to the plate at his side, "Need any help?"

"Maybe takin' a bath, but not eatin'," he muttered, shoveling food into his mouth at an alarming rate. His bright eyes smoldered as he stared at me over my brother's head, heat flooding to my face.

"Daryl…"

"He's asleep, don't worry," he replied, the slightest of chuckles escaping him as he shook his head and hoovied up his meal, "can say anythin' I want an' he wouldn't know. Could say what I want ta do-"

"Daryl," I laughed, shaking my head and rolling my eyes skyward in exaggeration, "at least wait 'til he's out of the room…"

"Get 'im outta th' room, then."

To spite him, I drew my brother tighter into my grasp and smirked. The hunter merely pursed his lips and continued to eat in silence.

A few comfortable moments passed before he spoke again, staring at his plate even as he commented, "She's wrong, ya know. Thankin' just me. You were every bit as responsible for findin' that girl. She's just jealous is all."

"Jealous."

"That little girl's been stickin' around you all day, hasn't she?" Daryl inquired, his perception blaringly obvious as he lifted his gaze to meet mine, "followin' you? Sayin' she loved you? How many times has she told her mama that?"

I couldn't answer his last question, but I knew for certain that the others were incredibly accurate. She stuck to me like glue in the last two hours, trailing after me, even sitting beside me as Hershel stitched me back up. Course, she had to turn away from the sight, burrowing her face into my shirt and gagging, but she had been there. Staring up at me adoringly, as though I were her hero. She pinned the same gaze on Daryl, but it was me that worried her mother.

No wonder Carol was so pissed.

"-my life."

"Huh?" I inquired dazedly, returning my attention to the hunter, who frowned and shook his head, muttering, "Makin' me repeat myself?"

When I shrugged sheepishly, he reiterated pointedly, "You _saved _my life. Not many people done that for me b'fore. I owe you."

"You don't owe me anything, Daryl," I denied, resting my chin atop Jake's head and regarding the hunter with a smile, "you'd've done the same for me. That's what we do for each other. I love you."

"Love you, too," he replied, his eyes darting belatedly toward my brother, as though him hearing the hunter's admission would lessen his masculinity or some shit.

Either way, his words made my toes curl, warmth spreading through me even as my heart thudded erratically in my chest. God, I loved when he said that. It wasn't often, but it made me feel incredible. Weightless, even. After everything that had happened today, yesterday, hell, since this whole thing started, I knew we had each other.

He would be there for me.

Always.

He would die for me.

Didn't want to see it come to that, but hell…

If Jake weren't there…

"Hey, Cat, you want me to take the little guy to bed?"

Lifting my heated gaze from the hunter, I stared at Glenn, offering him a fleeting smile and nodding, "Yeah, you just wanna stick him on the couch or something? I don't want him in the tent without me."

"I can take him with me if you want," the young man replied, removing the cap from his head and running a hand through his hair, "me and Danny'll keep an eye on him."

I went to protest, but he waved me off, slipping into the room and removing Jake from my hold, "It's no problem. Get some sleep, Cat."

Nodding, I thanked him and watched him head toward the door. He paused, though, and offered Daryl a friendly grin, "You, too, Daryl. Sleep up, get in gear. I'm not used to seeing you like this."

"Like what?"

The challenge didn't intimidate Glenn, though, partially because he was well aware that Daryl was too damn weak to lunge for him. He grinned, "Nothing. Never mind. Just get some rest."

With that, he and Jake disappeared, leaving Daryl and I all by our lonesome. The hunter's eyes refused to leave me even as I stood and retrieved his plate from his limp grasp. They smoldered and stared, intensifying when I shot him an amused (and mildly flustered, I'll give you that) wink.

He tried to catch my wrist when I made to leave the room, but I was too quick for him. Ha, too quick. He must've really been hurting when I could get away from his catlike reflexes.

Hastening down the hallways, I found my way back to the kitchen, thanking Beth softly as she took the plates from me and returned to her spot at the sink. She didn't speak, for which I was grateful – I wasn't wonderful at making small talk when there wasn't much to chat about these days anyway – but left me to my own devices, humming to herself beneath her breath.

Moving to the window, I glanced out into the field; I didn't want to leave Jake out there, believe me I didn't, but he would be safe with Glenn. The young Korean was more than handy with a weapon and Rick would be out there, too. I knew he could handle anything if the worst happened.

And I wanted to stay with Daryl. It was so strange to see him so battered; once the adrenaline from the day had worn off, I was shaken. Seeing him so vulnerable was something I couldn't even begin to wrap my head around. I didn't like it. I wanted to see him up and about, back on his feet, snarking at everyone and everything.

"Cat."

The former sheriff caught me off guard, sending me flinching away from the glass and rounding on him with an automatic sneer. He raised his hands in surrender, brows high on his forehead as he regarded me curiously – and amusedly. I ignored the glint in his eyes and relaxed my stance, offering him a half-hearted smile.

"How is he?" he inquired, waving a hand before I could even begin to apologize, "he feelin' alright?"

"He's fine," I replied, grateful for his affable nature and for his genuine concern for my hunter, "I'm gonna stay with him. Hershel said to wake him up every hour, make sure he's doing okay throughout the night."

Rick fisted his hands on his hips and shook his head slowly, disbelievingly, "I don't envy you, Cat."

"Yeah, he's gonna be a real shit about it," I agreed with a laugh, gesturing with a thumb over my shoulder, "you wanna see him?"

"Nah," Rick replied, though he was grinning to himself, "best not irritate him any further, right? I'll talk to him t'morrow. But I did wanna talk to you, too. I just wanted ta thank you for findin' that little girl; she's- well, it's a miracle. One I think we needed. And it's all thanks to you an' Daryl."

"Hey, you were doing the same thing," I retorted pointedly, rubbing my elbow awkwardly at his praise, "you and Shane… If you could've found her, you would have."

"Yeah, well, I wish we all thought that way."

Who had been-?

"But that's somethin' our group could never be more thankful for," he continued instead, pinning me with a serious, grateful stare, "Carol owes you one helluva big debt for findin' her daughter. Just, when you go back ta Daryl, make sure he knows how grateful we are – how grateful we _all _are – for th' two o' you findin' her."

Nodding, I shot him one final grin, accepting the hug he offered and disappearing down the hallway. It didn't take me long to return to the guest room Hershel had stitched Daryl up in, but I didn't quite make it through the threshold when a solid body shoved past me without a word. I stared after Carol, one eye narrowed in confusion, in distrust, but I didn't call to her, didn't question her or start something with her.

Slipping into the room, I knew whatever she had said to Daryl pissed him off. His breathing was heavy, his nostrils flaring, his arms folded tightly across his chest. He glared a pretty nasty hole in the wall, his lip curled in anger.

"Do I want to know?"

He didn't spare me a glance, his lips barely moving as he growled through clenched teeth, "No."

"Alrighty, then," I replied, clicking my tongue and wondering briefly what Carol had said or done to get him so riled up. Instead of questioning him further – he would tell me eventually – I climbed into bed beside him, startling him right out of his ire.

He stared down at me, lifting an arm to allow me to snuggle into his side. His hand fell heavily against my hip, his head tilting until his chin rested partially atop my head. I pressed a hand over his heart, mildly concerned by the way it thudded angrily beneath my touch. Lips drawn to one side, I lifted my gaze to his face, smiling at the studious way he surveyed me in the darkness, "You should get some sleep."

"Don't wanna," he muttered huskily, his fingers stroking my hip in a steady, distracting rhythm. His lips pressed against my temple, down along my jaw, molding against the column of my throat as he breathed, "I wanna kiss you, Kit. I wanna touch you in all them places I know you love. I wanna make you beg for me to pin you down an' lick every inch o' you 'til you squirm. 'Til you _scream_."

My heart stuttered to a halt, eyes wide, glossy, mouth parted to beg him for just that, until he grunted and reached for his side, agony rippling across his face. Exhaling heavily, I laughed, fighting the urge to cry as the desire throbbed almost painfully between my legs.

No sex for us tonight. I don't know who was more disappointed, the hunter or me. He groaned as I disentangled myself from him, reaching for me as I wiggled away from him.

"Nope. Uh-uh. Sorry, Daryl; you're in no shape for that."

He huffed, glowering at me and muttering, "Damn, woman, you ruin all my fun."

Retrieving a bottle of meds from Merle's stash, dropping two into my hand and tipping his head back, "Take these. Doctor's orders."

"'M fine," he noted gruffly, though he didn't fight me when I popped them into his mouth. He didn't bother to wait for a drink, tilting his head and swallowing them dry. He sighed, leaning back against the headboard and lifting a hand to his head. Scratching absently at the bandage, he looked me over once, brows drawn tightly over his eyes. "What're we s'posed ta do in here? No TV, no sex… You gonna read me a bedtime story?"

"Well, Rick wanted me to thank you for finding Sophia," I replied, an idea striking me suddenly, eyes wide, innocuous, "everyone's _real_ grateful. Gotta show my appreciation somehow, right?"

"Thought you said no sex?"

His eyes glinted with intrigue, with desire, his predator's gaze sending a thrill through me as I reached for his belt buckle.

"Well, you keep still and I think we can work something out," I winked, my desire flaring once more as I tugged the sweatpants Hershel had let him borrow down his legs. He smirked, wincing only slightly as he shifted, rearranging himself on the mattress to ease his pain until the meds kicked in. And until he was too overcome with pleasure to pay his wounds much mind.

Shucking my shirt and bra if only to give him something to ogle while he lay there, I shot him a saucy wink. Hooking my fingers around the elastic of his boxers, I made sure to brush them against his bulge and earn myself a low, jagged moan from the man beneath me.

"Woman, you best do somethin' 'fore I flip you on your back an' pull these stitches," he growled, palms curling around my hips, a hiss escaping his clenched teeth.

I was happy to oblige.

In Hershel's bathroom sat a freestanding bathtub. It was claw-footed, an antique from the thirties, maybe forties, porcelain, white, with a gilded rim now faded from use. While the plumbing may not have worked anymore, it had a drain, and that was more than I could ask for.

With the help of Lori, Beth, and a still simpering Andrea, I managed to fill the thing with water heated both over the stove and several fires out on the lawn. Seated on the edge, I dipped a finger in, testing the temperature and grinning to myself; by now I thought it would be lukewarm, but it still steamed, hot to the touch.

Rick and Shane aided Daryl into the bathroom, though the latter two looked about as equally thrilled by the close contact, unhappy frowns marring their faces. It just made Daryl look all the rougher, despite his surprise earlier. Rick remained unflappable, though, a tiny grin playing on his face as my hunter grumbled nastily, "Watch yer hands, asshole."

Shane sneered, affronted and not a little embarrassed, "If you weren't so damn helpless, I wouldn't hafta carry you, now would I?"

"Then do a little less _gropin'_ and a little more carryin'."

Once Daryl was deposited beside me, he rested a hand over his side and hissed, turning from the others and forcing the pain from his features.

"You need any more help, or you think you got this, Cat?"

"I think we're fine," I replied, offering him a grin as both Shane and Daryl grumbled their protests, a little more than uncomfortable with one being naked and the other helping scrub him down, "might be late for dinner, but…"

"Take all the time you need," Rick nodded, tipping his head to one side to catch the hunter's gaze, "really. Just let us know when you're done; we'll give you a hand to the table."

"Won't need it," he replied roughly, though he nodded in thanks anyway to our undeclared leader as followed his former partner from the room. Rick shut the door behind him and Daryl immediately set to grouching, "What, he think I'm an invalid now? Can't do anythin' for myself? Could take down forty walkers like this, _and _my hands tied behind my back, shit…"

Humming, I helped him out of his pants once more, easing the bandages away from his skin. The wound looked terrible, red and raw, stitched together with thick, black thread, but it wasn't infected, thank God. He didn't have a fever, didn't have an infection despite the dirt and grit and grime Hershel had had to clean out of his injury. His bruises would heal, as would the cuts and scrapes and piercings.

"I'm so glad you're alright," I muttered, helping him shift his legs over the edge of the tub, "you… you really have no idea, Daryl."

He grunted, slinking down into the water, my hands beneath his arms in case he slipped. When the water hit his wound, he winced, but stoic as ever, said nothing, simply settling into a comfortable position and sighing heavily. His eyes drifted shut in relief and he rolled his shoulders, leaning against the porcelain and gazing up at me, his eyes an unreadable tumult of emotion.

"Think I have some idea," he answered honestly, reaching out to run a finger along my cheek before smirking wickedly, "what with that welcome home present…"

Laughing, I chewed on my lip and pressed a kiss to his before standing and making my way toward the countertop. Avoiding the mirror, I retrieved a bar of soap and a washcloth, returning to his side and dipping them both into the water. On my knees beside him, I set about washing him clean, keeping my ministrations light and gentle.

He shifted uncomfortably, meeting my gaze for the briefest of moments before staring down at the quickly darkening water, "You don't gotta do that. Never had anyone take care o' me b'fore; you don't gotta start now."

"I'm not doing it because I _got_ to, Daryl," I chided calmly, perching myself on the edge of the tub once more, face inches from his own as I goaded him into another kiss, "I'm doing it cuz I _want _to. I already told you; it's what we do."

"Don't expect me to go washin' you up anytime soon," he retorted almost humorously, his gaze hungry as I continued on rubbing gentle circles across his chest and collarbone, "I get you naked in a tub an' we're gonna have all kinds o' fun. Screw gettin' clean."

"I'll hold you to it."

"This tub's pretty big," he muttered conversationally. Even still, he couldn't keep the longing from his tone and his fingers brushed tantalizingly across my neck. "Big enough fer two. An' Merle's drugs're kickin' in pretty good. You wanna-"

"Do you see how disgusting that water is?" I laughed, shaking my head fervently, "next time, tiger."

"I'll hold you to it," he stared at me, unblinking, his bright blue eyes darkening to a steady, exciting smolder.

"I can't believe you're half-dead and you want to screw around," I smirked, carefully hedging my way around his wounded side, mindful of every time he jerked away from my prodding washcloth, "_again_. Wasn't that enough for you?"

"Kit, I don't think I could ever get enough o' your-"

"Is that all you two ever do?"

Spinning, I bit the tip of my tongue to keep from gasping, unaware of Carol's presence in the threshold of the room. Daryl twisted, skinning her a vicious scowl, a hand dropping to cover his manhood despite the grimy layer floating atop the once-clean bathwater.

She was frowning, a towel in hand, though her bitter scowl seemed leveled at me and me alone. She deposited it angrily on the counter, whirling on a heel and fleeing the room.

"What the hell does it matter to her?" I queried incredulously, straying from his side to lock the door and retrieve the towel, "what is her problem anyway? What was she doing here?"

"Prob'ly tryin' ta proposition me again."

What.

The.

Fuck.

"Daryl, please tell me you're joking," I hissed, nostrils flaring as a flash of red blinded me. Knuckles tightening, I strangled the towel between my grasp, murdering it and quite happily envisioning the gray-haired mother's scrawny neck between my fingers.

"I look like I'm joking?"

No, the uncomfortable set of his jaw, the curl of his lip, the bitterness tightening around his eyes. He wasn't joking.

"That bitch propositioned you?" I breathed, tempering my voice to keep from bellowing, "she offered you sex? I thought she was with Dale?"

The hunter turned slightly, face twisting in a grimace as the movement caused him a flash of pain, "I dunno, Kit. I'm not a mind reader. An' I sure as hell don't wanna know about them two goin' at it. Hell if I know if they're even still together. All I know is she came in ta thank me fer findin' Sophia an' told me…"

"Told you _what_?"

He eyed me uncomfortably before turning his back to me, replying, "Told me if I ever got tired o' you, she'd be more than happy ta take yer place. Told her ta fuck off, that that wouldn't happen, but looks like she ain't gonna let it drop."

Taking a few calming breaths, I stiffly returned to his side, forcing myself away from the door, away from the hallway, away from finding Carol and kicking the shit out of her. Who the hell did she think she was? Yes, Daryl did her a favor by finding Sophia, but he didn't do it out of affection for her. Maybe sympathy, or maybe he even related to the beaten mother in a way, but he didn't do it out of _love_.

A momentary flare of panic overwhelmed me and the hunter noticed it. Hoisting himself over the edge of the tub with a groan, he caught my chin and pressed a firm kiss to my lips. Capturing my gaze with a sharp, steady stare, he promised, "Don't even think I'd get with her. I said I'd die fer you, Kit, an' I mean it. Yeah, I almost died fer that little girl, but it wasn't cuz of her mother. Yeah, I felt bad for her, but I kept thinkin', if this were ten, twelve years ago, that coulda been you out there. Lost an' alone, fightin' off walkers all by yourself. Or, hell, I dunno. Coulda even been your kid. I thought o' her bein' you, bein' yours. Had ta get her. Not that I wouldn't o' gone after 'em if it were Carl or someone. But, it just… made me wanna find her even more. That make sense?"

Wrapping my arms around his neck, I pulled him tightly to me, peppering him with kisses. Breathing his name into his hair, I contented myself in his warmth, unconcerned by the water dampening my clothes. This man was something else and he was mine. And I didn't care what I had to do to prove that to Carol.

Well I hope you all enjoyed! Please review! I really do love your feedback! :D

SabakuNoGaara426: I'm sorry! I'm terrible at updating. =( But with the new season starting, I've been inspired ;)

xXx Tinkies xXx: Aw thanks! I'm glad they did too! I was toying with the idea, and just couldn't resist!

Lamminator: haha wouldn't that be hilarious!? Haha that cracked me up! Aw I'm glad I updated in time but sorry it took a few months to update! =(

No Control16: Sorry I've been so bad at updating. But just know I'll never abandon this story!

FanFicGirl10: Aw me too! I know, ugh she annoys me so much! Like, why didn't she pay attention?!

VixxenZixx9: Aw thank you! I'm so glad you think so! That really means a lot to me!

ChicagoMyth: Thank you!

Mariana Lestrange: Aw thanks!

Deedle2226: Thank you so much! Sorry that you have to wait so long all the time

Y2j591: thank you so much! I hope you enjoy this chapter too!

Guest: Aw thanks! I'm glad you like her; she's probably my favorite OC =)

Sophia Alice Rosalie Potter: I'm sorry; I hate cliffhangers too! THAT'S AWESOME! I'm jealous :D Where'd your cousin get it from? A comic con?

Caliweiser: why thank you! I'm glad you think so! Yeah, I couldn't have them kill her. I still figure it's going to give Carol character development, just in a different way. Be on the lookout for her and Cat clashing a lot more frequently haha

Guest: Thanks!

Ladyfinwe: Sorry it took so long to update! I hope you enjoy this one!


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